Morocco v Croatia LIVE - World Cup latest updates as Luka Modric leads Croatia once again

Best opportunity of the game. Ziyech puts a great ball in and En-Nesyri rises above his marker but does not connect with the header.

Kramaric looks isolated up top - Croatia are not getting bodies around him and he is finding it tough to hold the ball up.

Modric does well putting a cross into the box but there is nobody there in a red and white shirt.

Perisic has a go from 35 yards and it goes close.

Morocco have great balance down the right. Ziyech loves to cut in on his left and Hakimi enjoys sprinting on the overlap. The two stars of the team combine with Ziyech shooting and it's blocked well by Lovren.

Nothing much to split the two sides so far. Both look comfortable on the ball and have the quality in the midfield area to get it back.

Beware the Moroccan press, they know when to go and take no prisoners when they do.

Morocco don't want to give time on the ball to Croatia. If there is ever a lose touch they spring into a pressing action as Ziyech ends up flying into Gvardiol.

Kovacic with close control breaks forward only for Amrabat to slide in making a great tackle. That's what his job is as the combative one of the North African's midfield.

Morocco fans are a noisy bunch. Whenever their team lose the ball they whistle loudly and boo when Croatia come forward.

And Croatia were nearly in with Morocco losing it in their defensive third but Saiss gets back to make a good recovery challenge.

Croatia are keeping the ball nicely, as expected, in the early stages. Brozovic is the base of the midfield three and the Inter Milan star is dictating the tempo dropping deep allowing attacking full-back Sosa to push high on the left.

The game is underway in Qatar. The first of four today.

Morocco and Croatia belt out their national anthems with pride. There are plenty of Morocco fans in the Al Bayt Stadium this morning.

This is the first game in Group F with Belgium and Canada completing the four and kicking off later today.

Belgium are expected to top the group with Croatia second so it's a must not lose for Morocco and Canada today to go against the odds and possibly make it out the group.

Croatia are blessed with a number of technical players in their team and they have the ability to dominate the ball against anyone.

The midfield of Brozovic, Kovacic and Modric can hurt anyone with their experience and passing ability - try getting the ball off them!

Morocco took the strange option of hiring a new manager just three months before this tournament began.

Former PSG boss Vahid Halilhodzic was in charge but was sacked for disagreeing with the president about the future of Moroccan football. It was oddly the third time he was sacked before a World Cup after qualifying with the team. He was sacked as Japan and Ivory Coast boss before 2018 and 2010 World Cups.

Croatia defeated England on the road to the final at Russia 2018 before losing the final to France.

However, the team has changed a lot in the last four years. Of course, Luka Modric, 37, Ivan Perisic and Dejan Lovren are still here but there is young talent coming through. Josko Gvradiol and Borna Sosa are players to watch attracting many suitors from around Europe for their performances in the Bundesliga.

It's easy to hear the name of Morocco and think they can't be that great - they have made the last 16 once in 1986 - which is their best results and other than that they have only made the tournament another five times never getting out of the group.

But this crop of talent are something special. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea), Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich) show their is plenty of quality in this side. There is also West Ham's big summer signing Nayef Aguerd and two Sevilla regulars.

The runners-up in the last tournament are back hoping to go one further than last time. Luka Modric is again the captain leading Zlatko Dalic's side out for a World Cup

Manager Walid Regragui names which is possibly his strongest side which contains a number of players that play for top clubs Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Hello and welcome to World Cup live coverage as Morocco face Croatia.

We have got all the post-match build-up and action from the match in Qatar.