- Croatia have been inconsistent so far, losing three of their last five matches in all competitions (W2, L3).
- Ghana have failed to win any of their last four away fixtures (D1, L3).
Croatia looking to get off the mark
Zlatko Dalic's Croatia have not been at their best in 2026 so far and they currently sit 4th and on 0 points in the FIFA World Cup, Group L 2026 standings after their opening loss to the holders and pre-tournament favourites, England.
The two-time runners-up have been unpredictable in recent outings, as they lost 4-2 to England in the World Cup and beat Slovenia 2-1 at home prior to that, before falling to a 0-2 defeat to Belgium in their most recent friendly.
Dalic's men are the bookies' favourite for this game at 1.62, but Ghana are not far behind at 5.8 and we feel this game is too close to call.
Black Stars defence will be tough to break down
Ghana are currently 2nd in Group L 2026 on three points after beating Panama 1-0 at home in their opener. Carlos Queiroz has brought a sense of pragmatism and defensive structure to the team and they can be a tough team to break down, even for the likes of Croatia.
Ghana will try to stay compact and make the most of their moments on the counter attack or set-piece opportunities. They drew 1-1 away to Wales in a pre-tournament friendly and we're backing the same scoreline this Saturday.
Ghana can keep it tight at Philadelphia Stadium
Ivan Perisic is an excellent passer and is Croatia's most creative player, with 1 assist in 1 World Cup game so far. Martin Baturina has 1 goal in 1 World Cup appearance and is Croatia's top scorer for the tournament so far, but will need to improve on that if they are to get past Ghana here.
Croatia's strength lies in their possession-based game and their ability to control the tempo in the middle of the park, but Ghana are a disciplined unit and could nick a goal on the break, making for a nervy game in Philadelphia.
We're going for the 'Under 2.5 goals' market at 1.79 here, as Queiroz's men can keep this close whilst Croatia should have enough about them to edge it.
