Croatia Dominate 10-Man Montenegro to Maintain Perfect World Cup Qualifying Record

Impressive Victory Strengthens Croatia’s World Cup Qualification Bid

Croatia delivered a masterful performance at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, crushing Montenegro 4-0 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers match. The game’s momentum shifted decisively when Montenegro’s Andrija Bulatovic was sent off in the 42nd minute.

Match Highlights and Key Moments

The hosts opened the scoring through Kristian Jakic in the 35th minute, who found the bottom left corner with a left-footed strike from distance, marking his first international goal. The assist came from captain Luka Modric.

The scoring continued in the second half with Andrej Kramaric finding the net in the 51st minute. The match saw further goals through an own goal by Edvin Kuc in the 85th minute, and Ivan Perisic sealed the victory in stoppage time.

Group L Standings and Implications

The comprehensive victory has propelled Croatia to the top of Group L, with the team maintaining a perfect record of four consecutive wins. Montenegro currently sits in fourth position in the five-team standings, having accumulated six points from five matches.

Qualification Context

The stakes are high in the European qualifiers, as 16 UEFA nations will secure their place in the 2026 World Cup. The format ensures that the 12 group winners automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the remaining four berths will be determined through play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will be hosted across 16 cities in three North American countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.