Croatia Aims for Victory Against Gibraltar in World Cup Qualifiers

Croatia will host Gibraltar in a crucial match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on October 12, 2025, at the Stadion Andelko Herjavec. Both teams find themselves at contrasting ends of Group L, with Croatia currently leading the group and Gibraltar struggling at the bottom.

Zlatko Dalic’s Croatian team recently faced a setback, drawing 0-0 against Czechia on October 9. This result ended their perfect run in the qualifiers, where they had previously won four straight matches, scoring a remarkable 17 goals and maintaining three clean sheets. Despite this draw, Croatia remains at the top of the group table with 13 points from five games, tied with Czechia but with a game in hand.

In stark contrast, Gibraltar, managed by Scott Wiseman, has yet to secure a point in the qualifiers, suffering defeats in all five of their matches. Their most recent outing resulted in a 2-0 loss to New Caledonia in a friendly on October 8. This poor form reflects their struggles in the World Cup qualifiers, where they hold the fourth-worst defensive record, having conceded 17 goals. Only San Marino, Moldova, and Liechtenstein have allowed more goals.

Historically, Croatia has dominated their encounters with Gibraltar, scoring a total of 11 goals and keeping two clean sheets in their previous two meetings. As they prepare for Sunday’s clash, Croatia’s confidence remains high, especially considering the disparity in quality and experience between the two teams.

Given the current form and statistics, Croatia is expected to secure a convincing victory. Predictions suggest a scoreline of 4-0 in favor of the hosts. Betting insights indicate that Croatia is likely to win the match outright, and they have shown a tendency to lead at halftime, having done so in four of their last five fixtures. Additionally, it is anticipated that there will be fewer than five yellow cards in the match, given recent trends in bookings.

As both teams approach this pivotal encounter, Croatia looks to reaffirm its dominance in the group, while Gibraltar hopes to turn its fortunes around. The match on October 12 holds significant importance for both sides, and the outcome will have implications for their respective campaigns in the World Cup qualifiers.