With the goals from Ante Rebic, Luka Modric, and Ivan Rakitic, all coming in the second half, Croatia secured an easy victory against the 2014 World Cup Finalist. Lionel Messi was helpless as he made no any impact in the game.
FULL TIME: Argentina 0-3 Croatia.
Croatia are through to the next round, Argentina in deep trouble.
Great performance from Croatia!
Reaction: https://t.co/riYbzJbItD
?? @BBCOne
?? @5liveSport#WorldCup #bbcworldcup #ARGCRO #ARG #CRO pic.twitter.com/820wpF6ShS— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 21, 2018
On the other side, two top-rated La Liga midfielders Modric and Rakitic displayed brilliant midfield playmaking. Both got the name in the scoresheet with Modric scoring one of the best goals of this World Cup edition- putting the ball behind the net from outside the D-area.
Rebic opened the score after the Argentine goalkeeper Willy Caballero made a blunder with the miss-pass. Rakitic secured the victory in the final minutes of the game after the Argentine defense had a confusion in the offside trap. Mateo Kovacic beat the goalkeeper and passed to Rakitic who made an easy touch to the net.
With the easy win over three times champion Argentina, Croatia have further supported the skepticism- if this World Cup is the tournament of underdogs.
The Underdog's World Cup. Bathathe Underdogs!!! Tjoviiiiiitjo! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/R6kdcaGD8z
— Miss Demeanour ?? (@Letsang) June 21, 2018
We have seen a lot of unexpected results this year. All-time greatest Footballing giants like Brazil and Argentina drew with their underdog opponent. Argentina played 1-1 draw with the World Cup debutant and the least populated nation in the world cup with just 350 thousand population.
Meanwhile, the defending Champions Germany were defeated by Mexico.
Other World Cup contenders like France and England had a narrow win over their opponents; Australia and Tunisia respectively. The 1998 World Cup winner could only net once to defeat Peru in the second game.
This World Cup is definitely is the one for the Underdogs.
— Terror Danjah (@TerrorDanjah) June 21, 2018
The 2010 World Cup winner Spain who played 3-3 draw with the 2016 Euro Champion Portugal had a tough competition with the Asian nation Iran in the second game. Spain narrowly defeated Iran by 1-0. The same time, Japan became the only Asian Nation to defeat a South American team beating Colombia by 2-1.
This edition of World Cup has proven that Football in an 'Unpredictable Game'. Even the Underdogs can be the contenders in the fraction of second.
The recent result of Croatia and Argentina has feared the other nations like Brazil and England. Will they have to face a defeat in the second round? Will this be the World Cup of Underdogs?
