Croatia will take on Morocco for third place in the World Cup on Saturday, Dec. 17, at Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar.
The Atlas Lions put up a strong fight against defending champions France in the semifinals, but fell short in a 2-0 loss. Meanwhile, Zlatko Dalic‘s side was turned away by Lionel Messi and Argentina 3-0.
The winner of this clash will be awarded a bronze medal and receive a large share of the World Cup prize pool, so there is plenty at stake for these two nations.
Who will claim a spot on the podium in Qatar? Let’s look at current Croatia vs Morocco betting odds to determine best bets and make a match prediction for the third-place playoff.
Read our World Cup Final prediction to see our Argentina vs France best bets.
Croatia vs Morocco Odds
- 3-Way Handicap: Croatia (+135) | Draw (+230) | Morocco (+200)
- Draw No Bet: Croatia (-145) | Morocco (+115)
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 (-110) | Under 2.5 (-120)
- Both Teams to Score: Yes (-140) | No (+110)
Croatia vs Morocco odds are current as of Dec. 15 at 11:00 a.m EST on Caesars Sportsbook.
Sportsbooks have Croatia listed as a modest favorite over Morocco in this group-stage rematch. There is an expectation for this contest to be very close, with no real lean on the Over/Under.
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Croatia vs Morocco Prediction
Croatia 0-1 Morocco
Croatia has been stellar during this World Cup, thanks to the outstanding defensive effort of Josko Gvardiol. However, Morocco has also been outstanding on the defensive front, having only conceded an own goal until Theo Hernandez‘s acrobatic strike during their match with France.
These two nations fought to a scoreless draw in the opening game of the group stage. This should also be a low-scoring match, with the Atlas Lions searching for their fifth clean sheet in this World Cup after limiting the Checkered Ones to just five attempts in their previous meeting.
Croatia is likely to be without midfielder Marcelo Brozovic after his 50th-minute exit during the semifinals due to muscular discomfort. In addition, Gvardiol will need pain injections in order to play through a foot injury.
- Relive both clubs’ path to the Third Place match with our World Cup bracket.
Meanwhile, Morocco could be without full back Noussair Mazraoui, captain Romain Saiss, and midfielder Nayef Aguerd after the trio left their semifinal match with injuries of their own. Expect Morocco manager Walid Regragui to install a 4-3-3 with Yahia Attiyat Allah and Selim Amallah returning to the starting XI.
The outcome is somewhat difficult to predict with so many key injuries on both sides, but Morocco’s entire roster has put forth a stout defensive effort. I anticipate they will be able to pull out a victory against a Croatian side that is not known for its attacking prowess and looked flat-out tired in their match with Argentina.
During their scoreless draw in the group stage, Morocco was the superior team. The African side was aggressive in and out of possession while playing shutdown defense.
It also doesn’t hurt that the Atlas Lions have received close to a home-field advantage during the entire World Cup due to the support of their traveling fan base and the rest of the Arab world.
Croatia vs Morocco Betting Tips
- Ivan Perisic is currently tied with Davor Suker as Croatia’s all-time leading scorer.
- Morocco is the first African nation to reach the third-place match at the World Cup.
- Croatia has only one victory in regulation at the 2022 World Cup (4-1 over Canada).
Croatia vs Morocco Best Bets
Morocco Wins to Nil (+420) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
There’s no need to get too cute with this matchup. I believe Morocco has the fresher legs and was the superior team when they met Croatia in the group stage.
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A low-scoring match is nearly guaranteed, but to maximize profit, I am going to lean on a clean sheet for the Atlas Lions in their quest for a bronze medal.
