Croatia vs Nigeria, World Cup 2018 - as it happened: Luka Modric and Co up and running in Russia

Re-live all the action from the Group D game

2018 Russia World Cup in numbers

Nigeria have qualified for five of the last six World Cups, so they are no stranger to competition. However, going against Croatia with players who are playing their first ever World Cup might be tricky.

Despite Croatia squeezing through the playoffs, head coach Zlatko Dalic has some impressive players on his roster, including Real Madrid's Luca Modric.

But Nigeria's 4-0 victory over Cameroon gave them the boost they needed, and with that spirit and a squad counting Alex Iwobi, Victor Moses and Kelechi Iheanacho, the Super Eagles could surprise us all.

Follow all the live action below…

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What time is kick-off?

Croatia vs Nigeria kicks off at 8pm BST.

Where can I watch it?

The game will be shown on ITV.

Odds

Croatia: 13/10

Nigeria: 61/20

Draw: 41/20

Prediction

Croatia 1-1 Nigeria. Both teams have brilliant attacking players so the game is bound to be a cracker.

But who do you think will win? Let us know by voting above.

Key Points

• It's day three in Russia and an action packed day featuring four games from Groups C and D
• Paul Pogba scores late winner as France beat Australia
• Lionel Messi misses a penalty as Argentina draw with Iceland
• Yussuf Poulsen winner edges Denmark out to victory
• ​Croatia get their World Cup up and running with comfortable win over Nigeria 

[16 June 2018 20:05 · Sam Dymond]

4 mins: Early Croatia pressure has Nigeria living on the edge, relying on some last-ditch defending to divert away a quickly-taken free-kick and a left wing cross from Ivan Perisic.

[16 June 2018 20:11 · Sam Dymond]

8 mins: Croatia win the first corner of the game. Luka Modric strolls over to take it which gives commentator Jon Champion plenty of time to talk about the perjury charges awaiting the midfielder back home.

Keep it light hearted, Jon.

[16 June 2018 20:14 · Sam Dymond]

11 mins: Oghenekaro Etebo summons the ghost of Finidi George by expertly taking control of a dropping ball before tricking his way past his marker. The midfielder's run is only halted by Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci, who blows up for a tug on Etebo's shirt by an opponent. What's the Brazilian for 'play the advantage!'?

[16 June 2018 20:17 · Sam Dymond]

14 mins: Ivan Perisic strikes the game's first shot in anger over the top of Francis Uzoho's goal. I'd say the anguished look on his face tells the story of how close it was but I've bought enough Panini stickers over the years to know he always looks like that.

[16 June 2018 20:19 · Sam Dymond]

16 mins: The atmosphere inside the Kaliningrad Stadium has nothing on that served up by the Peruvians earlier this evening. Although the 60,000 fans that had travelled from South America to Russia did not have Ally McCoist's co-commentary to drown out.

[16 June 2018 20:24 · Sam Dymond]

22 mins: Better from Nigeria at the halfway point of this first half. Bright play by Ighalo wins a corner from which they test the Croatian defence with some testing crosses into the six-yard box. Eventually, the ball drops to the new Stoke signing, Etebo, who miscues his volley wide.

[16 June 2018 20:27 · Sam Dymond]

25 mins: The game is really flat. If that's bad enough, the lull in play has meant that Jon Champion and Ally McCoist have begun to engage in awkward small talk reminiscent of a first (and last) Tinder date.

[16 June 2018 20:31 · Sam Dymond]

28 mins: McCoist tells an anecdote about how Rangers once looked at the possibility of signing Modric from Dinamo Zagreb but the club couldn't afford it. It's very tempting to point out that never stopped them before, but I won't.

[16 June 2018 20:32 · Sam Dymond]

30 mins: The first yellow card of the game is shown to Ivan Rakitic for a really nasty tackle on Victor Moses. The Barcelona midfielder caught the winger on the ankle with a studs up challenge, and you've seen more severe punishments handed out for such challenges - especially at World Cups.

[16 June 2018 20:33 · Sam Dymond]

32 mins: GOAL! CROATIA 1 NIGERIA 0:

Croatia open the scoring in the most fortuitous circumstances. Luka Modric's corner, this time from the right, was met by the diving head of Mario Mandzukic. The Juventus striker did well to meet the cross but his effort was off target, travelling two foot wide of Francis Uzoho's far post before the flicking off the ankle of Oghenekaro Etebo and nestling in the bottom corner for an own-goal.