Evening all, and welcome to the biggest match of the World Cup so far. Argentina need this; Lionel Messi needs this; but so do Croatia. It's true that Argentina could lose tonight and still qualify for the last 16, but they're absolutely desperate for some form. If Croatia beat them, it'll take a major effort to turn things around. And the hope is that it'll be fun to watch them both try; both teams have brilliant attacking players, and it's hard to see either sitting back; but we've said that before, haven't we. This is going to be great ... maybe.
World Cup / Group Stage
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium / 21.06.2018
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- A. Rebic(53')
- L. Modric(80')
- I. Rakitic(90+1')
Live
Live Updates
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Updated 21/06/2018 at 20:56 GMT+1
- All
- Highlights
20:54
So there we go! What a night for Croatia, their first time out of the group since 1998. They were brilliant in midfield tonight, just about kept their heads, and look like a team that knows what it's doing. Argentina, meanwhile, look like a team that doesn't know anything. Night!
20:53
FULL-TIME: ARGENTINA 0-3 CROATIA! CROATIA ARE THROUGH TO THE LAST 16, WHILE ARGENTINA'S PROGRESS IS NOT IN THEIR OWN HANDS!
90+£'
Corluka celebrates his hundredth cap with a booking, for what i did not see.
90+2'
Corluka comes on for his hundredth cap.
90+1'
GOAL! Argentina 0-3 Croatia (Rakitic) Croatia break, 17 on 1, and Rakitic shoots, but Caballero pushes away ... except Kovacic in there to square for him, and he taps home! argentina have been ravaged, rustled and devastated!
90"
Messi glides across the box and finds Meza, who does likewise and keeps going , past two men, and then swivels into a shot that's blocked behind for a corner which comes to nothing.
89'
Croatia are lapping this up, as you would. Argentina haven't been in their half for quite some time.
88'
It really is an achievement to get players this good playing this badly.
87'
Acuna twists himself hard to make sure he fouls Vrsaljko, and is booked.
86'
So, free-kick Croatia, 25 yards out ... and Rakitic curls an absolute sort over the wall and against the face of the bar! Fantastic effort!
85'
Argie-bargie! Mascherano fouls Rakitic, then Otamendi spanks the ball at his grounded phizog from about a yard. There's a brief melee and Otamendi is booked.
85'
In the excitement I forgot to note that Kovacic replaced Perisic.
84'
Higuain messes about outside the box, then turns and drills a shot through Vida's legs that's still easy enough for Subasic.
82'
And what a celebration from Modric too, no gimmicks, just the going of the mental.
80'
WHAT A GOAL! WHAT A PLAYER! I SAID WHAT A PLAYER! Argentina 0-2 Croatia (Modric) He is so, so good - a great in fact. He takes a pass that comes across the face of the box, goes outside Otamendi, then inside, then turns and goes outside again ... before spanking a right-footed curler that scream, hisses and pants its way past Caballero! Argentina are done!
79'
Perisic, who is made of barbed wire, worries Acuna, who does well to get back at him and draw the foul.
78'
Kramaric heads it clear at the near post.
78'
Pavon goes down the outside of Lovren, who slides in to cede the corner....
76'
Otamendi goes in hard but fair on Rakitic, who wears his weight in the follow-through and collapses. The ref stops play, for no reason whatsoever and there is indignation; large quantities of.
74'
Acuna bangs two crosses into the box, miles from anyone. On the touchline, Sampaoli has removed his jacket.