Croatia and Ghana meet on Saturday evening at 10pm with both teams’ fate still up in their air after mixed starts to their World Cup this summer.
We can reveal our betting expert’s top tips for this match in Group L, and we’ll also introduce you to Playbook, which allows you to compare and place bets from some of the UK’s best betting sites in a much easier way than ever before.
What is Playbook?
The easiest way to understand what Playbook offers is to look at a practical example.
If you read on, you’ll see that we’re tipping over under 23.5 match shots in Croatia’s World Cup match with Ghana. Perhaps you disagree and want to go with a goalscorer market, where in that case you think that Luka Modric will score. Rather than searching through multiple betting markets, you can simply post your selection directly to the Playbook feed on X.
In this instance, you’d post “@playbook Luka Modric to score, Croatia vs Ghana”.
Within moments, the Playbook bot will respond with a link to a pre-built betslip containing your requested selection from several leading betting apps, including bet365 and Paddy Power. It reduces the time spent navigating betting menus and makes it easier to create specific bets using natural language.
Croatia vs Ghana Betting Tips
Croatia to get the victory
Croatia haven’t quite found their rhythm at the 2026 tournament, but their vast experience on the global stage should prove decisive in securing a vital win over Ghana. Zlatko Dalic’s side possess the know-how to navigate high-pressure group finales, a factor that cannot be underestimated.
They have a solid track record in this phase of the competition, having won five of their last eight group stage matches at the finals. The only defeat in that sequence came against England earlier in this campaign, highlighting their general reliability against teams they are expected to beat.
While their performance against Panama on matchday two was far from spectacular, it was a deserved victory. Croatia ended the game with an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.65, comfortably outperforming their opponents who registered just 0.55 xG, demonstrating a controlled and effective, if not explosive, display.
In contrast, Ghana were arguably fortunate to take a point from their game against England. They were pinned back for long periods, managing just two attempts on goal all match, neither of which were on target. A repeat of that attacking impotence will likely be punished by a Croatian side that boasts superior quality in possession.
Shot-Shy Encounter on the Cards in Philadelphia
This match has all the hallmarks of a tight, tactical affair where chances are at a premium. Neither team has been particularly menacing in an attacking sense, which strongly suggests backing a low total shot count is a sensible approach.
Ghana’s strategy under Carlos Queiroz has been built on defensive solidity, often at the expense of offensive ambition. They have mustered a mere 10 shots across their two matches so far, and this bet has comfortably landed in both of those games; their opener against Panama saw 19 shots, while the clash with England produced 21.
This low-action trend extends beyond the current tournament. A remarkable eight of Ghana’s last 10 international fixtures have seen 23 or fewer shots, with those matches averaging just 19.9 shots per game. They are well-practised in setting up a low block and frustrating opponents.
Croatia are also unlikely to contribute a high volume of attempts. Zlatko Dalic’s team have averaged just 11.17 shots per game in 2026. This bet landed with ease in their last match, a 1-0 win over Panama where a total of only 14 shots were registered between the two teams.
Pasalic Offers Value in Goalscorer Market
In a match where clear-cut chances could be scarce, the individual quality of Marco Pasalic makes him a standout candidate in the anytime goalscorer market. He has consistently been Croatia’s most dangerous player, even if he is yet to find the back of the net.
The statistics back this up. Pasalic is the only player in the Croatia squad to have taken three shots, and also the only one with two shots on target. This has resulted in a combined xG total of 0.80, the joint-highest in the team alongside striker Ante Budimir, underlining his threat from a wide position.
Playing his club football in the MLS for Orlando City, Pasalic will be well-acclimatised to the conditions in the United States. After playing just 24 minutes against England, he was given an extended 72-minute run-out against Panama, suggesting he has earned his manager’s trust and will be central to Croatia’s attacking plans once more.
