Croatia v Mexico, 23 June 2014

Score3-1 to Mexico
RefereeRavshan Irmatov
CompetitionFIFA World Cup Finals Group A
VenueItaipava Arena Pernambuco, Recife
Attendance41,212
Kick-off 5.00pm local (9.00pm BST) Man of the Match: Rafael Márquez (Mexico) Assistant referees: Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan) Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan) Fourth official: Néant Alioum (Cameroon) Fifth official: Djibril Camara (Senegal) The two teams had met in three previous matches, including in the 2002 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Mexico 1–0. Coming into the final round of matches, Croatia needed to win to guarantee qualification to the knockout stage regardless of the result of Cameroon vs Brazil, while Mexico only needed a draw to do so. The game was goalless for the first 70 minutes, until a Héctor Herrera corner to the back post allowed Rafael Márquez to score from a header, outleaping the Croatian defenders. With Croatia progressing only by way of a win, they were caught out on a break a short time later where Andrés Guardado scored after receiving a pass from Oribe Peralta. Mexico scored their third goal when Márquez flicked on Guardado's corner with substitute Javier Hernández scoring at the back post. Ivan Perišić scored in his second consecutive World Cup match after a neat back pass from Ivan Rakitić to get a consolation goal for Croatia in the closing minutes of the game, before Croatia's Ante Rebić was sent off for a foul on Carlos Peña. Mexico qualified as group runners-up (behind Brazil on goal difference) on virtue of the win, while Croatia were eliminated. With his goal, Márquez joined Cuauhtémoc Blanco as the only Mexican player to score in three World Cups.

1  Croatia

Manager: Niko Kovac

3  Mexico

Manager: Miguel Herrera

Goals:

Ivan Perišić 87 G

Goals:

Rafael Márquez 72 G
Andrés Guardado 75 G
Javier Hernández 82 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa
Defender Vedran Corluka
Defender Dejan Lovren
Defender Darijo Srna (captain)
Defender/Midfielder Ivan Perišić
Defender/Midfielder Šime Vrsaljko
Midfielder Luka Modrić
Midfielder Danijel Pranjič
Midfielder Ivan Rakitić
Forward Ivica Olić

Starting lineup:

Guillermo Ochoa Goalkeeper
Miguel Layún Defender
Héctor Moreno Defender
Rafael Márquez Defender/Midfielder (captain)
Paul Aguilar Midfielder
Andrés Guardado Midfielder
Héctor Herrera Midfielder
José Vázquez Midfielder
Giovani dos Santos Midfielder/Forward
Oribe Peralta Forward

Substitutions:

Mateo Kovačić for Šime Vrsaljko 58
Ante Rebić for Ivica Olić 69
Nikica Jelavic for Danijel Pranjič 74

Substitutions:

Javier Hernández for Giovani dos Santos 62
Carlos Peña for Oribe Peralta 79
Marco Fabián for Andrés Guardado 84

Cards:

Ivan Rakitić 9 Y
Ante Rebić 89 R

Cards:

Rafael Márquez 39 Y
José Vázquez 66 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Danijel Subašić
Goalkeeper Oliver Zelenika
Defender Domagoj Vida
Midfielder Milan Badelj
Midfielder Marcelo Brozović
Midfielder Mateo Kovačić
Midfielder Sammir
Midfielder Ognjen Vukojević
Forward Eduardo
Forward Nikica Jelavic
Forward Ante Rebić

On the bench:

Goalkeeper José Corona
Goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera
Defender Diego Reyes
Defender Carlos Salcido
Midfielder Javier Aquino
Midfielder Marco Fabián
Midfielder Carlos Peña
Midfielder Miguel Ponce
Forward Isaác Brizuela
Forward Raúl Jiménez
Forward Alan Pulido

1  Croatia

Manager: Niko Kovac

Goals:

Ivan Perišić 87 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa
Defender Vedran Corluka
Defender Dejan Lovren
Defender Darijo Srna (captain)
Defender/Midfielder Ivan Perišić
Defender/Midfielder Šime Vrsaljko
Midfielder Luka Modrić
Midfielder Danijel Pranjič
Midfielder Ivan Rakitić
Forward Ivica Olić

Substitutions:

Mateo Kovačić for Šime Vrsaljko 58
Ante Rebić for Ivica Olić 69
Nikica Jelavic for Danijel Pranjič 74

Cards:

Ivan Rakitić 9 Y
Ante Rebić 89 R

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Danijel Subašić
Goalkeeper Oliver Zelenika
Defender Domagoj Vida
Midfielder Milan Badelj
Midfielder Marcelo Brozović
Midfielder Mateo Kovačić
Midfielder Sammir
Midfielder Ognjen Vukojević
Forward Eduardo
Forward Nikica Jelavic
Forward Ante Rebić

3  Mexico

Manager: Miguel Herrera

Goals:

Rafael Márquez 72 G
Andrés Guardado 75 G
Javier Hernández 82 G

Starting lineup:

Guillermo Ochoa Goalkeeper
Miguel Layún Defender
Héctor Moreno Defender
Rafael Márquez Defender/Midfielder (captain)
Paul Aguilar Midfielder
Andrés Guardado Midfielder
Héctor Herrera Midfielder
José Vázquez Midfielder
Giovani dos Santos Midfielder/Forward
Oribe Peralta Forward

Substitutions:

Javier Hernández for Giovani dos Santos 62
Carlos Peña for Oribe Peralta 79
Marco Fabián for Andrés Guardado 84

Cards:

Rafael Márquez 39 Y
José Vázquez 66 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper José Corona
Goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera
Defender Diego Reyes
Defender Carlos Salcido
Midfielder Javier Aquino
Midfielder Marco Fabián
Midfielder Carlos Peña
Midfielder Miguel Ponce
Forward Isaác Brizuela
Forward Raúl Jiménez
Forward Alan Pulido