Key Takeaways:
- Croatia secured a 3-0 home win against Gibraltar last night in the UEFA Group L World Cup qualifiers
- The Croatians now lead Czechia by three points, with two matches remaining and needing just a single point to qualify for the finals in North America
- Czechia suffered a 1-2 defeat to the Faroe Islands earlier in the day, paving the way for Croatia’s advantage in the table
Match Analysis: Dominant Display in Varazdin
The Croatian national team delivered a commanding home performance, triumphing 3-0 against Gibraltar in their UEFA Group L qualifier for the 2026 World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Goals from Toni Fruk (30′), Luka Sucic (78′), and Martin Erlic (90’+6′) secured the crucial three points at the Varazdin stadium – a venue adding a personal touch for coach Zlatko Dalic, as it is his hometown.
Tactical Rotations and Key Moments
Marking his 100th fixture at the helm, Dalic received a commemorative plaque prior to kick-off. The manager made the bold decision to start the match without many of his high-profile players, including first-choice goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, opting instead for Dominik Kotarski between the posts. The likes of Josko Gvardiol, Ivan Perisic, Luka Modric, and Andrej Kramaric entered proceedings only after the interval.
Congratulations! With a 3:0 home victory over Gibraltar, #Croatia is just a small step away from @FIFAWorldCup berth! 🇭🇷🎉🙌 #CROGIB#WCQ | #PokažiSrce | #Family | #Vatreni❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/a0n4MhELh7
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) October 12, 2025
Croatia dominated from the outset, immediately applying pressure and racking up several corners within the opening ten minutes. Their first notable opportunity arose in the 19th minute, when visiting goalkeeper Jaylan Hankins forced a crucial save after excellent build-up play. Just four minutes later, Mario Pasalic struck the post, inches away from opening the scoring.
The deadlock was finally broken on 30 minutes as Pasalic held off the defence in the penalty box and found Fruk, who nodded home to give the hosts the lead. Croatia continued on the front foot and ended the half with three additional corners.
After the break, Croatia’s offensive momentum continued. Around ten minutes into the second half, referee Oleg Derevinsky of Ukraine pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty to the hosts. However, Lovro Majer failed to convert, missing the chance to double Croatia’s lead.
Despite the missed penalty, Croatia remained relentless, registering another six corners before Sucic finally extended the advantage in the 78th minute with a well-placed shot into the bottom right-hand corner. Luka Modric came close to adding a third, but Hankins again prevented further damage. In the seventh minute of added time, Croatia tallied their eighteenth corner, executed by Majer, allowing Erlic to seal the 3-0 scoreline.
Qualification Implications and Remaining Fixtures
This crucial win puts the Croats three points clear of Czechia, who only have one game left to play, whereas Croatia have two fixtures remaining in the qualification cycle. Dalic’s side now require only one point from their closing matches – at home to the Faroe Islands (14.11) or away to Montenegro (17.11) – to guarantee their place at the 2026 finals in North America. Meanwhile, Gibraltar languish at the bottom of Group L, winless and with only two goals to their name.
