ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia stayed on course to reach the 2018 World Cup after a 1-0 home win over Kosovo in a World Cup qualifier which started on Saturday and finished on Sunday after it was abandoned due to unplayable conditions on a waterlogged pitch. The result lifted Croatia back to the top of the section on 16 points from seven games, two more than second-placed Ukraine and three ahead of third-placed Iceland. The home side rarely looked like breaking down a packed and well-organised Kosovo defence, having been confined to sporadic long-range efforts for the best part of the contest. Inevitably, the breakthrough on a muddy pitch which resembled a swimming pool on Saturday came from a set piece, as Modric's inch-perfect cross found Vida unmarked. With the fixture played over two days, both sides now have little time to recuperate as Croatia visit fourth-placed Turkey (11 points) while Kosovo are at home to Finland on Tuesday.

Source: thestar September 03, 2017 14:26 UTC