The 2022 FIFA World Cup third-place match will be played between Croatia and Morocco on Saturday, December 17. Khalifa International Stadium in Abu Dhabi is the site of the action, and it begins at 10 a.m. ET.
In the first semifinal, Croatia lost to Argentina and failed to reach the final for the second year in a row. In the second semifinal, Morocco’s incredible run was ended by a close defeat at the hands of France.
Below, we take a look at the World Cup odds, analyze the matchup between Croatia and Morocco, and provide some team news, predictions, and analysis.
Croatia vs Morocco Odds
| Matchup | Moneyline | To Finish Third |
|---|---|---|
| Croatia | +135 | -140 |
| Morocco | +205 | +115 |
| Draw | +245 | N/A |
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On the moneyline, Croatia is favored by +135 to win in regulation time, with an indicated chance of 43%, while Morocco is favored by +205, with an implied probability of 33%.
The best betting option is a draw after 90 minutes (+245, implied 29%), but Croatia is the clear favorite to finish third (with overtime and penalties, if necessary, at -140).
Over/Under and Spread
Neither team has been a scoring machine in the tournament, so it’s no surprise that OKBET Football Betting has set the under at -105 and the over at -115. To put it bluntly, you shouldn’t anticipate a goal-filled game.
Croatia vs Morocco Preview
The Croats have reached the last weekend of the World Cup for the second year in a row, but this time they can only finish as high as third. Even if the men’s team from Croatia (a country with a population of only 3.9 million) lost in the finals four years ago, that shouldn’t take away from the fact that they’ve played well in this tournament.
Manager Zlatko Dali has transformed an old roster into an asset by making full use of the veterans who were key to the team’s near miss in 2018.
Best Midfield in the Tournament
In spite of just winning one game (against Canada), Croatia prevailed in two penalty shootouts to advance to the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Most commentators agree that the Croatian squad, led by midfielders Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Marcelo Brozovic, deserves more credit than it has received. However, a bronze medal is still well deserved for this tremendous performance.
Croatia vs Morocco Head-to-Head Stats
| 12 | FIFA World Ranking | 22 |
| 1-4*-1 | 2022 World Cup Record | 3-2*-1 |
| 6.4 / 6 | xG / Goals For | 5.4 / 5 |
| 9.9 / 6 | xGA / Goals Against | 6.8 / 3 |
| 67 / 24 | Attempts on Goal / On Target | 54 / 15 |
| 87.1% | Pass Completion | 81.6% |
| DWDD*D*L | Form Guide | DWWD*WL |
Morocco on the Journey of a Lifetime
This event has been unforgettable for Moroccans. The oddsmakers listed them as the third favorites in Group F, but they breezed through the competition and won the group ahead of Belgium and Croatia. The crowds at each game were so large that pundits said it was “like a home game in Casablanca.”
They advanced to the semifinals, where they would face the reigning world champions, France, after defeating Spain (on penalties) and Portugal. Despite losing by a narrow margin against the French, they put out yet another remarkable performance.
Record-Breaking Atlas Lions
Walid Regragui’s Moroccans have had a historic tournament run, becoming the first African, Arab, and primarily Muslim nation to reach a World Cup semifinal. Several of the team’s players also feature prominently in Europe’s best leagues, so this is no fluke. We can’t get rid of the Moroccans now.
These two teams will be meeting for the second time in this tournament on Saturday; on the opening day of Group F, they played each other and the game finished scoreless. The numbers indicate that the previous match was a close and even affair, and all signs point to the same for this one.
Croatia vs Morocco Prediction
Because of the severity of the injuries to important players like Aguerd, Mazraoui, and Saiss, Morocco is unlikely to risk any of them in this game as they try to recover for the final.
I have a feeling the Croatians will come out on top because of their superior experience and knowledge, and the Moroccans will struggle since they are playing with little to no energy because this is likely Modric’s last game, but it may take a while longer than usual to determine a winner.
