The traditional third/fourth place play-off held on the day before the final had an open and entertaining first half during which the goals were scored. The second 45 minutes were less eventful although there was a controversial call from the officials as it drew to a close. Ziyech played a part in the Morocco goal.

Despite Croatia making five changes from their unsuccessful semi-final and Morocco making three, both Chelsea players started for their respective nations. Ziyech was captain of his side. It was his 50th cap.

Morocco escaped an early mishap when their keeper Bono played the ball across the face of his goal and just centimetres wide, but Croatia did take the lead in the seventh minute. Their centre-back Josko Gvardiol headed in from a cleverly worked free-kick.

However less than two minutes later, Morocco found the net with a centre-back header of their own. It was Ziyech who delivered the ball in from a free-kick wide on the right. It hit the head of Luka Modric and looped up and down for Achraf Dari to finish.

The Chelsea winger played predominantly on the left of the Morocco attack in the first half before moving more central for the second period. As usual he was on most of their set-pieces. From one of his corners, Youssef En-Nesyri was not far away from scoring. Ziyech himself then went for goal but dragged it a couple of yards wide.

Before that, Modric had come close to restoring the Croatia lead but it was left to Mislav Orsic to score what proved to be the winner three minutes before half-time. His was a quality strike that went in off the inside of the post. Back in September it was Orsic who scored the only goal in Chelsea’s defeat when we visited Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

Orsic had another shot deflected narrowly wide at the start of the second half and it was his side who continued to look the more dangerous. Towards the end both sides appealed for penalties, neither given. The Croatia claim looked extremely strong. The European side were then grateful for their goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic making a good save.

Croatia could have made the win safe through Kovacic in the final minutes but after skilfully making space, he shot wide. The additional goal proved not to be necessary, as Morocco’s En-Nesyri headed just over the bar from the final chance of the game.