Croatia vs Belgium – World Cup Group F: How they’re doing, injuries and prediction as big guns aim to avoid early exit

WORLD CUP 2018 semi-finalists Croatia and Belgium face off in a match that is highly likely to see one team go home early.

The Croats are the favourites to go through after picking up four points from their first two games.

The Croatia XI that beat Morocco

But they will beware of a wounded animal, with Belgium currently sitting third in the group.

The Belgians appear to be falling apart at the seams with reports of a mega fallout within their squad.

However, despite the country’s Golden Generation appearing to be in crisis, a win will still be enough to send them through.

SunSport takes a look at what to expect from Belgium vs Croatia including our score prediction.

HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP

How are they getting on?

Croatia: The Croats looked anything but impressive in an uneventful 0-0 draw with Morocco.

But they showed their quality in their second game as they repeatedly carved Canada open to win 4-1.

Read the full Croatia vs Canada match report…

Belgium: Three points from two games really flatters them.

Earned a 1-0 win after being battered by Canada before deservedly going down 2-0 to Morocco.

Read the full Belgium vs Morocco match report…

The Belgium XI that lost to Morocco

Any injuries to worry about?

Croatia: The Croats have no fresh injuries to contend with.

Belgium: Romelu Lukaku came off the bench against Morocco after missing the opening game with a hamstring injury.

Amadou Onana is suspended after picking up two yellow cards.

Who to watch

Croatia: When Luka Modric is purring, Croatia are very hard to stop.

Though he will have to be careful as he is on a yellow card.

Belgium: Kevin de Bruyne is key to Belgium’s success but has spent most of the first two games sulking.

The Red Devils will need him to be much more like the player he is for Man City if they are to win this one.

Permutations

Croatia will qualify with a draw.

They will also win the group if they win by the same margin as any Moroccan win against Canada, or if they draw and Morocco fail to win.

Croatia can go through in second if they lose and Morocco lose, provided the margin of their defeat is no more than one goal greater than Morocco’s.

Belgium will guarantee qualification with a win and be eliminated with a defeat.

If they draw they will need Morocco to lose by four goals if they are to go through.

What’s the head-to-head?

Croatia have won three, drawn two and lost three against Belgium.

Their last meeting saw Belgium win 1-0 in a pre-Euro 2020 friendly in Brussels.

Competitively they last met in 2013 in a World Cup 2014 qualifier in Zagreb with Lukaku scoring a brace as Belgium ran out 2-1 winners.

Odds

Croatia 17/10

Draw 9/4

Belgium 13/8

SunSport prediction

Croatia 1 Belgium 1