After playing Belgium in their first match, Canada faces off against another big footballing nation in the form of Croatia, who were finalists in the last World Cup. By the end of this match, we will know more about the teams in this group who could qualify for the knockout stages.
✔ 1×2 Prediction: Croatia – Canada
Finalists of the last World Cup in Russia, Croatia has lost several key players and has seen others go downhill. However, Croatia is still a very solid nation, well-established in international football. We see them bringing home the win, faced with the Canadians who are still inexperienced at this level.
✔ Exact Score Prediction: Croatia vs Canada
The Croatians are comfortable favourites against a Canadian team made up of a new generation, the majority of which will experience the highest level of football for the first time, during this competition. Deprived of important players who have now retired and with certain teammates getting old – and worse, in some cases – the Croatian team should still bring home the win, though probably by a small margin.
Victory for Croatia
We would favour a victory for Croatia in this unprecedented encounter between these two nations. Croatia is still a lot to handle for the Canadian team, who are still figuring things out. A score of 2-1 or 1-0 seems to us to be the most appropriate result.
Draw
If Canada can get past the pressure of a World Cup encounter, they could well, thanks to some fast attackers and their freshness, cause problems for a Croatian team that can often appear quite slow. Thus, a draw remains possible; 1-1 or 2-2, so we get to see some goals!
Victory for Canada
The young Canadian generation is promising, carried by players like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, but probably still a little too limited to get the win in a World Cup match against a team like Croatia. Even a final score of 0-1 or 1-2 would be a really good result.
✔ Half-time/Full-time prediction: Draw 1st half; Croatia 2nd half
Canada may start the match with a hunger to win and push around the Croatians. But the technique and experience of the Croatian midfield and attack should make a difference in the second half, allowing the reigning finalists to take home the win
✔ Scorer Predictions: Croatia vs Canada
At 33 years old, Ivan Perisic is still just as dangerous as ever on the left-wing. As the undisputable headliner at Inter, his 32 goals for the team speak for him. Even if he isn’t a mainstay and doesn’t play a lot for AC Milan, Ante Rebic is a player capable of scoring at any moment. On the Canadian side, Jonathan David is the goalscorer to watch (with 20 goals in 30 appearances).
✔ Double Chance Scoring predictions: A. Kramaric / C. Larin
The Hoffenheim attacker Andrej Kramaric puts out very reliable statistics from season to season. He can be counted on to show up in this World Cup. Responsible for 19 goals at Besiktas last year in the Turkish Championship, the Canadian left-winger Cyle Larin is a formidable finisher, despite not playing in the centre. Along with Jonathan David, he is the most dangerous attacking player in the Canadian team.
📄 Match Analysis: Croatia vs Canada
Pre-bet Analysis
Croatia is looking to defend its place in the finals. The teammates of Luka Modric won their group by a short head, finishing one point ahead of Russia. This was more complicated for the other teams in the group; Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta finished much further behind.
Canada qualified for its first World Cup in 36 years (the first and last time in 1986 in Mexico). To get there, they first finished at the top of their qualifying group in the first round of eliminations with 4 wins in as many matches. In the second round, the Canadians knocked out Haiti in a two-legged match. Finally, the Canadian team finished first in its group in the third round of eliminations, in front of Mexico, the United States and Costa Rica.
Team Form
Croatia is gaining confidence. Currently, on a streak of nine games without defeat, Zlatko Dalic’s players haven’t seen defeat since they were knocked out of the Euro in the quarter-finals by Spain (3-5 after extra time). Thus, one mustn’t underestimate this nation.
Canada reached the semi-finals of the 2021 Gold Cup (the equivalent of the Euro for the CONCACAF zone), which took place in the United States last year, where the Canadian team were knocked out by Mexico. Lately, having qualified for Qatar, the Canadian team has lost its momentum, suffering defeats to Costa Rica and Panama, notably.
