A diving header from Mario Mandzukic took a deflection off the Nigerian midfielder and crept into the goal for a deserved lead as Croatia dominated the count of chances created in the first 45 minutes.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic says he will turn to his Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic for ideas on how to stop Argentina's Lionel Messi in Thursday's Group D match between the two teams.
The victory came for the Indian maestro after three straight draws in rounds 10, 11 and 12
Here is a look at some of the key head-to-head duels which could prove decisive.
Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic believes his country are now one of the favourites at Euro 2016 after beating Spain to win Group D.
Classy Croatia handed Argentina a 3-0 drubbing to claim a place in the World Cup knockout stage thanks to goals by Ante Rebic, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic in their Group D match on Thursday.
Croatia made a flying start to Euro 2012 after pouncing on sloppy defending to beat Ireland 3-1 in their Group C opener on Sunday.
Croatia pulled off a memorable 2-1 win over Group B favourites Germany on Thursday to move to the brink of a place in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals.
Croatia have no major injury concerns going into Sunday's World Cup final despite having played three 120-minute matches
Holders Spain lost for the first time in 15 matches at the European Championship finals on Tuesday when Croatia beat them 2-1 to win Group D at Euro 2016.
Dark horse Croatia take on spirited Nigeria in a World Cup opener on Saturday that could leave one side fighting for their tournament lives in the Group of Death.
Germany defender Nico Schulz scored a late winner as their new-look side snatched a 3-2 win away to the Netherlands in their opening Euro 2020 Group C qualifier on Sunday, an absorbing clash that swung in fortunes from one side to the other.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
IMAGES from the Euro 2024 qualifiers played on Tuesday.
Antoine Griezmann's free kick brushed the top of Mandzukic's head and sailed over his own goalkeeper to give France a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute of the game at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
The 21-year-old Coric came from two sets to one down to defeat the 20-year-old debutant Tiafoe 6-7(0), 6-1, 6-7(11), 6-1, 6-3 and finally subdue a remarkable fightback from the Americans, who had earlier levelled the tie 2-2 from two down.
Croatia came back after conceding in the opening minute to defeat Denmark 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out and earn a World Cup quarter-final berth, after the two sides drew 1-1 in the Round of 16 match on Sunday.
Croatia have set a simple target of qualifying for the knockout phase from a group expected to be dominated by holders Brazil.
Teeanger Borna Coric completed an unlikely comeback for Croatia as the small Balkan nation beat the United States 3-2 in a Davis Cup quarter-final in Oregon on Sunday.
The country of around 4 million people came to a standstill as Croatians watched the game on screens in squares and cafes.
Croatia's euphoric media ran out of superlatives as they hailed the Balkan nation's stunning World Cup win over Argentina which propelled them into the competition's knockout stages for the first time since the 1998 tournament when they finished third.
Denmark will change their approach and offer more in attack as they bid to get past Croatia at the World Cup, coach Age Hareide promised on the eve of Sunday's second round match.
It was no surprise that Croatia cavorted on the pitch in celebration with fans and family long after beating England in the semi-finals of the World Cup on Wednesday night, but a wiser head might have ushered them quietly to ice bath and bed.
Croatia edged closer to next year's World Cup with an emphatic 4-1 home win over Greece on Thursday in the first leg of their two-legged playoff.
The Kremlin dubbed the Russian national team heroes and proud soccer fans saluted their underdog host team after the side lost on penalties to Croatia, bringing an end to its World Cup challenge at the quarter-finals.
Croatia reached the Davis Cup semi-finals for the first time after Ivan Ljubicic beat Romania's Andrei Pavel
Croatia will be ready for both versions of Russia, says Perisic
'But that in no way diminishes France's win. Maybe we were a bit unlucky, in the first six games we were favoured by luck'
Croatia's Sandra Perkovic overcame nerves and early fouls to successfully defend her Olympic discus title, winning with a best throw of a 69.21 metres.
Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic struck his third goal of Euro 2012 to earn a 1-1 draw against Italy who let their opponents off the hook after taking the lead in the Group C match on Thursday.
England's last appearance at this stage was in 1990 when they lost in a penalty shootout to West Germany in Turin while eight years later, in their first World Cup as an independent nation, Croatia lost to hosts and eventual winners France.
Croatia and France were tied at 1-1 after Friday's singles in their Davis Cup semi-final clash in Zadar after Richard Gasquet and Marin Cilic both won their matches.
Czech Republic's Tomas Necid scored a stoppage-time penalty as they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Croatia in a dramatic Euro 2016 Group D encounter on Friday that was interrupted due to flares thrown on the pitch. With Croatia captain Dario Srna in tears during the national anthem having returned from the funeral of his father earlier in the week, the Croatians swarmed all over the Czechs from the first whistle, with Perisic opening the scoring in the 37th minute to lead at halftime.
Germany beat Poland 2-0 in their opening match but they see Croatia, who overcame Austria 1-0, as a much more important scalp.
Croatia got their Euro 2008 campaign off to a winning start on Sunday when a fourth-minute Luka Modric penalty proved enough to beat co-hosts Austria 1-0 in the opening game of Group B.
Substitute Ricardo Quaresma turned in three minutes from the end of extra time as Portugal edged a tense encounter to book a UEFA Euro 2016 quarter-final date with Poland. After 116 minutes in which the teams failed to muster a single shot on target, Ivan Perisic headed against the upright.
Croatia will play their Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Italy behind closed doors after their fans caused more trouble during the 5-1 win over Norway, UEFA said on Wednesday.
The Indo-Australian pair will now meet the sixth-seeded Argentine duo of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.
Croatia's state attorney is investigating Croatia international and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric on suspicion of giving false testimony in a criminal trial, the attorney's office said on Monday.
Serge Gnabry continued his impressive scoring run for Germany, netting in second-half stoppage time for his ninth goal in his 10th international, completing Germany's eighth consecutive win over Northern Ireland.
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