Luka Modric provided a second half goal and assist as Croatia defeated Scotland 3-1 at Hampden Park, Glasgow to book their place in the knockout stages.
Nikola Vlasic fired Croatia ahead after 17 minutes after poking in from Ivan Perisic’s knockdown of Josip Juranovic’s cross.
Scotland however equalised 25 minutes later as Callum McGregor intercepted a poor clearance from Domagoj Vida and rifled across into the bottom left corner.
Modric then was involved in both of Croatia’s second half goals as he rifled a 62nd minute strike into the top left corner, before teeing up Ivan Perisic to nod in 15 minutes later to wrap up victory as Scotland finished bottom of Group D.
England meanwhile defeated Czech Republic 1-0 through Raheem Sterling’s 12th minute header to top Group D, as Croatia finished second by virtue of four goals scored compared to the Locomotives’ three goals.
A lightning start by Scotland saw Stephen O’Donnell win a corner just 15 seconds into the first half, only for the resulting two corners to be cleared.
Che Adams then saw two chances go begging in a four minute spell as he flicked on a left-flank cross from John McGinn in the sixth minute but cleared, before curling a tenth minute just wide of the top right corner.
O’Donnell then went close for the Tartan Army in the 14th minute as he picked up Adams’ pass towards the right but his shot could only find Livakovic’s arms.
Croatia then found the opener three minutes later as Juranovic’s cross found Perisic to nod down for Vlasic to poke into the near left corner beyond David Marshall.
Scotland responded well to conceding first as Adams and John McGinn saw chances go begging in the 24th minute, before Scott McTominay headed a 26th minute free-kick straight into Livakovic’s arms.
The 2018 World Cup runners-up however began to make their superiority count but Juranovic and Perisic could only fire over and wide respectively in a three minute spell.
Croatia however let their standards slip in the 42nd minute as Stuart Armstrong’s cross was poorly cleared across to Robertson, who swung in a rebound cross, only for Vida to flick clear to McGregor who rifled into the bottom left corner to restore parity.
Steve Clarke’s Tartan Army then saw a 45th minute chance to take the lead go to waste as substitute, Scott McKenna headed across towards left post for Adams to nod in but Vlasic cleared the ball just in time as the match entered half-time with both teams at that point set to crash out of the tournament.
Josko Gvardiol saw two early second half chances go begging for Croatia until Scotland nearly took a 59th minute lead, as Andrew Robertson’s cross was flicked wide on the volley by John McGinn as he collided with Livakovic.
McGinn’s miss however proved costly as Gvardiol’s low cross three minutes later was pulled back by Mateo Kovacic for Modric to rifle across on his right foot into the top left corner just outside of the box to put Croatia back in front.
Scott McTominay missed a 73rd minute chance to pull Scotland back level as he swept into the box only for Adams’ chipped through ball to be too deep for his reach, as Livakovic came out to make the save.
Croatia eventually secured victory four minutes later as Modric turned provider as he whipped in a cross for Perisic to flick in via the inside of the right post, which proved enough to put Zlatko Dalic’s men second on virtue of four goals scored to Czech Republic’s three.
Croatia will now await the runner-up of Group E in Copenhagen on Monday 28 June (5:00pm BST), whilst England will host the runner-up of Group F at Wembley Stadium 24 hours later on Tuesday 29 June.
Czech Republic will advance as one of four best third-placed finishers with their opposition set to be confirmed tomorrow evening (23 June) once the Group Stage is concluded.
Teams
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic (GK), Josko Gvardiol (Barisic 71′), Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Josip Juranovic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic (Rebic 81′), Bruno Petkovic (Kramaric 70′), Nikola Vlasic (Ivanusec 76′)
Substitutes: Sime Vrsaljko, Borna Barisic, Duje Caleta-Car, Josip Brekalo, Andrej Kramaric, Lovre Kalinic (GK), Ante Budimir, Mario Pasalic, Ante Rebic, Milan Badelj, Simon Sluga (GK), Luka Ivanusec
Scotland: David Marshall (GK), Stephen O’Donnell (Patterson 84′), Andrew Robertson, Scott McTominay, Grant Hanley (McKenna 33′), Kiernan Tierney, John McGinn, Callum McGregor, Lyndon Dykes, Che Adams (Nisbet 84′), Stuart Armstrong (Fraser 70′)
Substitutes: Craig Gordon (GK), Jon McLaughlin, Ryan Christie, John Fleck, Declan Gallagher, Liam Cooper, David Turnbull, Kevin Nisbet, Ryan Fraser, Nathan Patterson, James Forrest, Scott McKenna
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