Morocco v Croatia predictions: Sofiane Boufal could cause the Croatians problems

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Morocco v Croatia in World Cup Group F on Wednesday.

Where to watch

ITV1, 10am Wednesday

Best bet

Sofiane Boufal to score at any time
1pt 6-1 Hills

The ex-Southampton frontman has the pace and directness to trouble an ageing defence and has been taking penalties for Morocco this season.

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Match preview

Croatia, finalists from four years ago, take the first step on the route to replicating their Russian adventure with a Group F showdown against Morocco – and it promises to be fraught with difficulty.

Measured, disciplined, well-drilled Morocco failed to get out of their group four years ago but did more than enough in those finals to show what they were all about.

After suffering a soul-destroying loss to Iran in their opener they were pipped 1-0 by Portugal and then drew 2-2 with Spain. One point was all they had to show for their efforts but they were nobody's idea of a pushover.

And Croatia – who, in contrast, sparkled in the group stage four summers ago with three wins out of three – know it will take all of their guile, all of Luka Modric's leadership, all of Ivan Perisic's wing-play and a threat up top, to put the Atlas Lions in their place.

And even then Morocco look to have plenty about them, especially since new coach Walid Regragui managed to persuade Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech and Bayern Munich's Noussair Mazraoui out of international retirement.

Throw in the other names and this is a team culled from Europe's big five leagues with much expected of stars Achraf Hakimi, Youssef En-Nesyri and Sofiane Boufal.

Boufal definitely has anytime scorer bet potential at 6-1.

The Angers frontman goes into the game fresh after a recent layoff and has scored twice for Regragui, both times from the penalty spot. And the early signs are there will be plenty of penalties awarded in these finals given an apparent zero-tolerance of holding opponents at set-plays.

Morocco have played four matches under Regragui, three of them official, and they have kept clean sheets in all four, with a 2-0 win over Chile the pick of the results.

As for Croatia, Zlatko Dalic's golden generation are now four years older and the rigours of these finals, in heat, in mid-season, with stupid amounts of added time, may well take their toll on 37-year-old Modric, centre-backs Domagoj Vida and Dejan Lovren and Ivan Perisic, all of whom are 33.

They certainly need Andrej Kramaric to step up and show he can do what Mario Mandzukic did in Russia, although three goals for Hoffenheim this term is hardly a great return. He did score in the 1-0 warm-up success against Saudi Arabia, a low-key match in which the Croats were seriously poor.

Key stat

Morocco have kept clean sheets in their last four internationals.

Team news

Morocco
Marseille ace Amine Harit was ruled out a week before the finals.

Croatia
Rangers' Borno Barisic insists he's fit after limping out of a warm-up game.

Probable teams

Morocco (4-3-3) Bounou; Hakimi, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal.

Croatia (4-3-3) Livakovic; Stanisic, Vida, Gvardiol, Juranovic; Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic; Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic.

Inside info

Morocco

Top scorer in probable team Hakim Ziyech
Star player Achraf Hakimi
Penalty taker Sofiane Boufal
Assist ace Achraf Hakimi
Set-piece aerial threat Nayef Aguerd
Card magnet Sofyan Amrabat

Croatia

Top scorer in probable team Ivan Perisic
Star player Luka Modric
Penalty taker Luka Modric
Assist ace Ivan Perisic
Set-piece aerial threat Mario Pasalic
Card magnet Marcelo Brozovic