Croatia completed their World Cup qualifying campaign with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Montenegro. Despite already securing their spot in the tournament with a win against the Faroe Islands, Croatia faced
an early challenge at Stadion Pod Goricom. Milutin Osmajic scored for Montenegro in the third minute, capitalising on Duje Caleta-Car's error, and Nikola Krstovic doubled the lead shortly after.
Ivan Perisic narrowed the gap with a penalty 20 minutes later, but Croatia had to wait until the 72nd minute for Kristijan Jakic to equalise. The decisive moment came when Nikola Vlasic struck powerfully three minutes from time, ensuring Croatia finished their qualifiers with seven wins out of eight matches.
In another Group L match, Czechia dominated Gibraltar with a 6-0 win. Six different players scored, including David Doudera and Tomas Chory. By half-time, they led 5-0, and Robin Hranac added another goal early in the second half. Czechia now heads to the World Cup play-offs after trailing Croatia by six points.
Montenegro's unexpected early lead put pressure on Croatia, but they managed to turn things around. This victory marked the first time since at least 2010 that Croatia won a World Cup qualifier after trailing by two goals. Their resilience was evident as they overcame Montenegro's initial advantage.
What a finish: the comeback is complete! #Croatia closes the 2026 @FIFAWorldCup qualifying campaign with another victory, 3:2 at Montenegro - congratulations! #MNECRO#HrabarBroj | #WCQ | #PokaiSrce | #Family | #Vatrenipic.twitter.com/mQbNACrTQg HNS (@HNS_CFF) November 17, 2025
Czechia's performance against Gibraltar was dominant as they prevented any shots from their opponents while taking 25 themselves. Their expected goals tally reached 4.31, showcasing their offensive strength. This result secures Czechia's place in the play-offs as they aim for World Cup qualification.
Croatia's ability to recover from an early deficit highlights their determination and skill. This comeback not only secured their unbeaten record in qualifiers but also demonstrated their readiness for future challenges on the world stage.
