World Cup live updates: Croatia beats Ghana to reach knockout stage

Croatia earned a spot in the World Cup knockout round, getting goals from Nikola Vlai and Luka Sui to beat Ghana 2-1 on Saturday.

Ghana had already clinched a spot in the round of 32 for the first time since 2010.

Vlai headed home Luka Modri's corner in the 83rd minute to score the winner and put Croatia back in contention after it finished third in 2022. The win means Croatia finished second behind England in Group L, with Ghana third.

Sui scored in the 31st minute for Croatia on an absolute rocket from outside the box for his second career international goal.

Derrick Luckassen scored the equalizer that -- after a brief review - sent thousands of fans wearing yellow into a frenzy. Luckassen, brother of the Netherlands' Brian Brobbey, found the bottom right corner in the 73rd minute to make it 1-1 and the first of the five group stage games in Philadelphia where both teams scored.

Ghana goalie Benjamin Asare briefly kept it a tie game on a diving stop off the top of his hand that sent the ball over the net but failed only a minute later to stop Vlai.

Vlai wagged his tongue and ran toward his teammates with outstretched arms in celebration.

Sui helped Croatia take a 1-0 lead into halftime in a game where a couple of near misses prevented it from building a more comfortable lead. Nikola Vlai bonked one of the posts earlier in the half, and Modric's cross on a free kick into the box was headed over the bar by Marin Pongrai.

Ghana seemed poised to tie the game late in the half when Antoine Semenyo beat his man and fired a shot that slid across the Kentucky bluegrass and went just wide of the left post.

Semenyo was one of the few prominent attackers in this tournament to go without a goal in the first three games. He finished third in the Premier League with 17 goals last season and was one of Manchester City's best players after it bought him from Bournemouth, yet couldn't connect in the World up against Panama, England and even Croatia's backline.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland have dazzled in the World Cup where every game has seemed like a showcase for the tournament's top stars.

The good news for Semenyo is, there's at least one more shot for him to bust through for Ghana.

Two diasporas that rarely find themselves in the global spotlight will take center stage this weekend as Ghana and Croatia meet in a World Cup match hosted in Philadelphia.

For many fans, the event represents far more than the action on the field - it is a chance to reconnect with their homelands and their communities.

Ghana and Croatia fans in Philadelphia celebrate heritage ahead of World Cup match

Steve Rukavina, who leads the National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation in Washington, D.C., said watching his home country play in his hometown will be a powerful moment.

"It will be surreal," he said.

Rukavina said he was thrilled when Philadelphia was selected as a host city.

"So, it was very exciting that Philadelphia, first of all, won a spot over like Washington, D.C., Chicago and some other cities," he said.

As an organizer of numerous World Cup events for Croatian fans, including appearances by members of Croatia's 1998 bronze medal team, Rukavina noted the pride many feel in the country's achievements.

While just over 1,000 Croatian Americans live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is home to one of the largest Croatian American populations in the country.

"This little country, now of 3.9 million, took second in the world in 1998, lost to France. And we won the bronze in 2022," he said. "And so we hope they place again and, you know, have to win a few matches in that first round. So, I get asked a lot, 'How can this little country be so good at sports?'"

He added that Croatians have a term meaning "fierce competitor," which he spoke in Croatian during the interview.

Lauren Swartz of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia said Croatia's success is remarkable.

"They only gained independence, you know, a few decades ago. It seems unlikely that a country with such a small population would continue to pump out such incredible players," she said.

She noted this year marks "their seventh World Cup overall, and their fourth straight appearance."

Croatia will face Ghana, a team returning to the World Cup with determination after reaching the quarterfinals in 2010 before losing to Uruguay on penalties.

"It was a big moment for us. We eventually lost penalties to Uruguay, so watch out this year," a fan said.

At Mama Shan's restaurant in North Philadelphia, Lana Adeniyi said soccer is deeply rooted in Ghanaian culture.

"The first time I played soccer was with my dad, my uncles, his brothers and everyone in the community. So it's ingrained in a very young age," she said.

Philadelphia has strong ties to Ghana through its vibrant West African diaspora, particularly in West and Southwest Philadelphia. Their culture is showcased each year during the Odunde Festival.

As anticipation builds, many say the match represents something larger than sport.

"For the African community here, it's much bigger than soccer," Adeniyi said. "For us to see ourselves represented on the World Cup on one of the biggest stages, especially the fact that it's here in America, it means a lot."

The match will bring together two proud communities - and two nations - on one pitch, competing for more than bragging rights.

Ivory Coast got goals from Nicolas Pépé in each half and advanced to the World Cup knockout round for the first time in the West African team's history with a 2-0 victory over Curacao on Thursday.

Les Éléphants have crashed the party and made it out of their group for the first time in four World Cup appearances.

Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 in its tournament opener - at the same Philadelphia stadium as Thursday's game - and lost to Germany in its Group E second game.

Ivory Coast will play June 30 against either France or Norway - whichever is the runner-up in Group I.

Curacao needed to win and instead failed to become the smallest nation to qualify for the knockout stages.

The FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill will stay open until midnight Thursday for the visitors rooting on the U.S. men's national team when they play Türkiye at 10 p.m.

More than 250 thousand people have visited the grounds in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park since it opened.

The FIFA Fan Festival will stay open until midnight Thursday for the visitors rooting on the U.S. men's national team