Croatia has put on a dazzling display, maintaining their flawless record in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a resounding 4-0 victory over a hapless Montenegro team in Zagreb. This win not only solidifies their dominance but also extends an impressive unbeaten streak in home WCQ matches that stretches back to September 2016, boasting an astonishing record of 11 wins and 3 draws.
While Croatia’s prior match against the Faroe Islands was a narrow 1-0 affair, expectations were soaring as they faced a Montenegro side that had struggled significantly on the road, losing three of their last four away fixtures without scoring a single goal. However, the early moments of the match revealed a surprising resilience from Montenegro, who withstood early pressure despite the unfortunate injury to Igor Vujacic. Croatia’s Franjo Ivanovic came close to breaking the deadlock, only for Danijel Petkovic to produce a sensational save that kept the score level.
The breakthrough came in the 35th minute when Luka Modric, defying the passage of time with remarkable skill, delivered a brilliant aerial ball to Kristijan Jakic on the right flank. With dazzling footwork reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo’s best days, Jakic weaved through defenders before curling a stunning shot into the far corner, marking his first international goal and igniting the Croatian crowd.
Montenegro’s woes compounded quickly when Andrija Bulatovic was sent off for a second yellow card after a foul on Modric, forcing them into a desperate defensive position. Just six minutes into the second half, Croatia capitalized on their man advantage. A slick combination play between Bayern Munich’s Josip Stanisic and Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric resulted in Kramaric tapping in a goal, extending his remarkable strike rate to six goals in four matches during this qualification cycle.
Despite seemingly having extinguished any hope for Montenegro, Croatia’s relentless pursuit of goals continued. Modric nearly added his name to the scoresheet, with a powerful shot from the edge of the box that whizzed past the left post. Petkovic was again called into action, denying Ante Budimir’s close-range effort. However, Croatia’s third goal was inevitable, as an unfortunate own goal by Edvin Kuc sealed Montenegro’s fate, inadvertently turning in a shot from Lovro Majer.
As the match drew to a close, Croatia capped off an emphatic performance with a final flourish. Ivan Perisic, showcasing his trademark poise, connected with a brilliant pass from Majer and struck the ball into the bottom-right corner with finesse, completing the rout. With a game in hand over the second-placed Czech Republic, Croatia looks poised to secure their spot in the World Cup for the seventh time in eight attempts as an independent nation.
In stark contrast, Montenegro faces yet another uphill battle, now sitting six points behind the Czechs and staring down the barrel of continued disappointment since their separation from Serbia in 2006. The future looks bleak for them as they search for a breakthrough in their qualification campaign.
