Croatia secured a 2-1 victory over Ghana on Sunday in Philadelphia, clinching second place in Group L of the ongoing World Cup. The result ensures the 2018 third-place finishers advance to the knockout stage, where they will face the runner-up from Group K in a match scheduled for Thursday in Toronto.

Croatia opened the scoring early through Petar Susic, who gave his team an initial advantage. Ghana responded late in the first half when Derrick Luckassen, making his international debut, leveled the score. However, the goal was subject to a prolonged Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review to determine whether Luckassen was offside. After the examination, the equalizer was confirmed.

The match-winning moment came in the 83rd minute when Nikola Vlasic headed in a corner delivered by captain Luka Modric. Vlasic’s precise finish off the inside of the left post put Croatia ahead, a lead they maintained until the final whistle.

With the win, Croatia improved their group record to two wins, one draw, and six points overall. The team had only required a draw to secure progression from the group stage, which included four points each for Ghana and Croatia before the match.

Ghana, known as the Black Stars, concluded their campaign with a record of one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling four points. Despite finishing third in the group, Ghana had already secured qualification for the last 32 based on previous results from Friday’s matches.

The Black Stars faced a scare late in the match when their star player Antoine Semenyo appeared to suffer an ankle injury, briefly leaving the field. Semenyo was able to return to play before the game ended, but the extent of his injury remains unclear.

Thursday’s knockout round encounter will see Croatia compete against the second-place team from Group K as both sides aim to advance further in the tournament. Ghana will await the outcome of other matches to determine their next steps.