Vlasic's late header sends Croatia through and ends Scotland's Copa America hopes

Nikola Vlasic’s late header earned Croatia a 2-1 victory over Ghana in Philadelphia on Wednesday, confirming their place in the last 32 as Group L runners-up behind England and ending any remaining hope Scotland had of progressing.

The former West Ham forward met Luka Modric’s corner and glanced the ball in off the inside of the post with seven minutes remaining, cancelling out Derrick Luckassen’s 73rd-minute equaliser and settling a contest that had been finely balanced heading into the final group round.

Petar Sucic had given Zlatko Dalic’s side the lead with a composed strike from outside the box, building on the momentum of their 1-0 win over Panama. Ghana, managed by Carlos Queiroz, had looked set to hold on for a point after Luckassen sidefooted Ernest Nuamah’s free-kick into the net, only for Vlasic to intervene.

Both sides had entered the game with a strong chance of advancing, and both ultimately did — Ghana finishing third in the group on four points, one behind Croatia. That third-place finish, however, proved decisive for Scotland. Steve Clarke’s side had seen their hopes fade steadily since a group-stage defeat to Brazil, and Ghana’s inability to claim second spot officially ended any lingering last-32 possibility for the Scots.

For Croatia, the result carries added significance. The 2018 World Cup finalists had been rocked by a 4-2 opening loss to England, and back-to-back wins over Panama and Ghana have allowed them to regroup and advance with genuine momentum. They also reached the third-place play-off at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, underlining their pedigree in knockout football.

Ghana, meanwhile, remain in the competition despite the defeat, progressing as one of the group’s third-placed sides.