Argentina goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero made a bad pass early in the second half against Croatia and it proved to be a costly one in a World Cup Group D game at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia Thursday afternoon.
By not getting enough force behind the pass from an Argentine defender, Caballero set up the first tally in a 3-0 loss to Croatia in the second outing for both teams in the Group Stage of the 2018 World Cup.
In the 53rd minute, Caballero received a pass from a teammate and attempted to chip it over the head of Croatian Ante Rebic, who was applying pressure while pushing toward the goal. However, the attempted pass did not travel far enough to clear Rebic, and with his left foot still planted on the ground, rifled a shot toward the net with his right foot.
Rebic’s shot from the left of the goal sailed out of Caballero’s reach and into the upper right corner of the net for the game’s first tally.
Luka Modric tallied Croatia’s second goal in the 80th minute and Ivan Rakitic removed all doubt when he scored one minute into stoppage time.
With Thursday’s win over Argentina, the world’s fifth-ranked team, Croatia secured a spot in the Round of 16 for the first time since the 1998 World Cup.
Ranked 20th in the world heading into the 2018 World Cup, Croatia already has won Group D with victories over Nigeria and Argentina in its first two matches. Known as “The Blazers,” the Croatian National Team ends Group Stage play against Iceland at Rostov Arena in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, on Tuesday, June 26.
