Croatia draws with Czech Republic, stays on track for World Cup qualification

Croatia played to a scoreless draw with the Czech Republic in Prague last night but remains in a strong position to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Head Coach Zlatko Dalić admitted the Czech side had the upper hand for much of the match.

“In the first half, they were more aggressive, more compact, and faster. We struggled and were weaker than I had expected. It wasn’t a great match for us — our opponents didn’t give us many chances to score. They were dangerous, and we had a lot of problems. We should have been more aggressive and quicker. The second half was better, but we didn’t score. One point earned. They’re our direct competitors, and this was an important step toward World Cup qualification.”

The match marked Dalić’s 100th appearance as Croatia’s head coach.

Croatia and the Czech Republic are now tied at the top of Group L with 13 points, though Croatia has a game in hand and a better goal difference.

In their next qualifier on Sunday, Croatia will face Gibraltar in Varaždin.