Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic lead Croatia to knockout round with 3-1 win over Scotland

Croatia needed a win to secure a spot in the knockout round through the third-place qualification process. England’s 1-0 win over Czech Republic helped the team go a step further.

Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic scored in the second half to break a 1-1 tie as Croatia secured second place in Group D and made the knockout round due to having more goals scored than Czech Republic. The 2018 World Cup runners-up struggled in the first two games of the competition, but looked like contenders against Scotland.

Nikola Vlasic got things started for Croatia early, but Scotland’s Callum McGregor leveled things up just before halftime. Scotland was also hunting for a spot in the knockout round and needed a win to do so.

Modric and Perisic have been two of Croatia’s most influential players in the last decade, helping take the country to new heights during the 2018 World Cup. Both players haven’t had much success of late with their respective club squads, but remain vital pieces on the international scene.

Croatia will play the second-place team from Group E in the knockout round on June 28 in Copenhagen.