Croatia made a powerful statement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers on Monday night, dismantling group rivals the Czech Republic 5-1 on home soil. The emphatic win follows their 7-0 thrashing of Gibraltar last week, giving the “Vatreni” a perfect two-win start in Group L, with an incredible 12 goals scored and just one conceded.
Despite having played one match fewer, Croatia now sit just three points behind group leaders the Czech Republic, who had won their opening three games before suffering this humbling defeat.
Tight First Half, Then Total Domination
The match began as a tightly contested affair, with both teams struggling to find rhythm and chances early on. It wasn’t until the 42nd minute that the breakthrough came, when Josko Gvardiol headed the ball back across goal and Andrej Kramaric nodded it in to give Croatia a 1-0 lead.
The Czech Republic responded early in the second half, with Tomas Soucek levelling the score in the 58th minute. However, that only seemed to ignite the Croatian attack.
Modric Leads By Example
Veteran playmaker Luka Modric once again proved why he remains the heartbeat of this Croatian side. At 39 years old, the midfield maestro stepped up to convert a penalty in the 62nd minute, putting his team back in front and setting the tone for the remainder of the match.
Six minutes later, Ivan Perisic made it 3-1 with a well-placed low strike from inside the box. Just moments after that, Ante Budimir added another from the penalty spot to put the game out of reach. Modric then turned provider, assisting Kramaric for his second goal of the night in the 75th minute, capping off a dominant performance.
With two commanding victories and 12 goals in just two games, Croatia are emerging as one of the most dangerous teams in the European qualifiers. The blend of experienced leadership and fresh talent has given the side a new energy, with Modric, Perisic, and Kramaric combining fluently alongside younger stars like Gvardiol.
Elsewhere in Group L: Faroe Islands Fight Back
In the group’s other match, the Faroe Islands pulled off a gritty comeback to defeat Gibraltar 2-1. Despite going behind early, goals from Frederiksen and Johannesen secured a morale-boosting home win for the world’s 141st-ranked team against the 196th-ranked visitors.
Croatia will now look ahead to their next fixture with confidence, knowing that another win could put them in pole position to top the group and move one step closer to a place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
