Croatia overcame Morocco 2-1 on Saturday in the World Cup third-place playoff, shattering expectations once more after their journey to the final in 2018.

Two early goals inside the first nine minutes set the tone for a tense match, with Achraf Dari canceling out Josko Gvardiol’s opening goal for Croatia.

Mislav Orsic’s late first-half goal was sufficient to end the match.

After both teams experienced heartbreak in the semifinals, a bronze medal may have been little more than consolation, but Croatia and Morocco were anxious to atone for their losses to Argentina and France, respectively.

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Early on, Morocco showed signs of jitters as goalkeeper Yassine Bounou nearly put a clearance into his own net in the third minute.

Every time the Croatian players possessed the ball, the Moroccan fans, who have flocked to Qatar in great numbers to support their team, booed them, their whistles resonating throughout the jam-packed Khalifa International Stadium.

However, Croatia played aggressively from the start and seized the lead in the seventh minute thanks to a deftly executed set-piece.

Ivan Perisic skillfully headed the ball into the fray after it floated into the box, where it was met by the masked Gvardiol, who boldly dove in for the header to calm the Moroccan delegation, if only momentarily.

Two minutes later, Morocco answered at the other end with a set piece of their own. Lovro Majer’s header on a cross looped into the box, where an unmarked Dari headed past the goalkeeper.

Morocco found chinks in the Croatian defense after scoring the equalizer, and their mobility and passing helped them create multiple opportunities.

The African team lacked the deadly instinct in front of goal, despite making history by being the first team from their continent to go to a World Cup quarterfinal.

They were properly punished by Croatia in the 42nd minute as an interception in the final third led to the discovery of Orsic, whose looping shot from a tight angle flew past Yassine Bounou’s outstretched arm and in off the post.

Due to fatigue from a lengthy tournament and both teams playing their seventh game in Qatar, the second half was not as frantic or spirited as the first.

Andrej Kramaric of Croatia even left the field in tears while suffering from what appeared to be a thigh injury.

Goal scorer Dari also hobbled off the field after choosing to play after the break despite feeling unwell toward the end of the first half.

Morocco had used all five of their substitutions by the 67th minute.

Jawad El Yamiq became their fourth center back to exit the tournament when he came off since Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd were on the bench.

Due to injuries to their center backs, Croatia felt doubly wronged when Gvardiol appeared to have been tripped in the box by Sofyan Amrabat, who was now manning the defense. However, the referee did not give Croatia a penalty.

Youssef En-Nesyri nearly won the game in stoppage time when he headed over, but Mateo Kovacic came close in the 87th minute when he had a clear look at goal for Croatia.

But despite Morocco’s best efforts to score an equalizer, Croatia managed to hold on and win the match, earning the bronze medal.