Date: June 23, 2014

Result: Croatia 1-3 Mexico

Scorers:

Croatia:

  •  Ivan Perisic 87

Mexico:

  • Rafael Marquez 72
  • Andres Guardado 75
  • Javier Hernandez 82

Venue: Arena Pernambuco, Recife

Attendance: 41,212

Match overview: Mexico needed a draw to progress to the Round of 16, but if Brazil took anything from their game with Cameroon then Croatia needed a victory to go through at the expense of the Mexicans. Mexico could progress to the Round of 16 having scored only one goal.

Key moment: Darijo Srna’s blatant handball. Many teams would have sulked at the referee’s failure to spot the infringement, but Mexico were galvanised and within minutes went ahead. It was a lead they never looked like squandering.

Man of the match: Rafael Marquez. Captaining the side for he fourth World Cup in a row. Scored one, assisted another and repelled anything Croatia threw at him. Remains a classy and reassuring presence at the heart of the Mexican defence.

Matter of fact: Mexico have made it through to the knockout stages for the 7th time in a row.

Talking point: Mexico, who scraped into the finals by the skin of their teeth, look a dynaic and well organised side. Coach Miguel Herrera, who only took over the national side 8 months ago, has fostered a fantastic team spirit within his largely home-based squad.

Stats:

Goal attempts

  • Croatia 10
  • Mexico 12

On target

  • Croatia 5
  • Mexico 7

Corners

  • Croatia 7
  • Mexico 9

Line-ups:

Croatia:

  • 01 Pletikosa
  • 11 Srna
  • 02 Vrsaljko (Kovacic – 58′ )
  • 03 Pranjic (Jelavic – 74′ )
  • 05 Corluka
  • 06 Lovren
  • 04 Perisic
  • 07 Rakitic Booked
  • 17 Mandzukic
  • 10 Modric
  • 18 Olic (Rebic – 69′)

Mexico:

  • 13 Ochoa
  • 22 Aguilar
  • 07 Layún
  • 15 Moreno
  • 04 Márquez
  • 02 Rodríguez
  • 06 Herrera
  • 23 Vázquez
  • 19 Peralta (Peña – 79′ )
  • 10 dos Santos (Hernández – 62′ )
  • 18 Guardado (Fabián – 84′)

Scorers:

Croatia:

  • Ivan Perisic 87

Mexico:

  • Rafael Marquez 72
  • Andres Guardado 75
  • Javier Hernandez 82

Red card:

  • Ante Rebic 89

Yellow cards:

Croatia:

  • Rakitic 9

Mexico:

  • Marquez 39, Vazquez 66

Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)