2022 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
A late own goal by Fedor Kudryashov secured Croatia’s place at next year’s World Cup in Qatar and left Russia in the play-offs.
A draw would have been enough for Russia to finish top of Group H and they looked to be on course to achieve that with neither side able to find a breakthrough.
But Kudryashov bundled a cross into his own net with eight minutes to go.
Victory means Croatia finish top with 23 points, one point ahead of Russia.
Vyacheslav Karavayev had the chance to snatch the draw the visitors needed in the 90th minute but he shot just over the crossbar.
Earlier on Saturday, Kylian Mbappe scored his first hat-trick for France as the reigning world champions secured their place at next year’s World Cup in Qatar in style by thrashing Kazakhstan 8-0.
Mbappe got four of the eight goals, with the striker’s first three coming in the opening 30 minutes.
He completed the rout with a late fourth.
Karim Benzema got two after the break. Adrien Rabiot and Antoine Griezmann, with a penalty, were the other scorers.
Mbappe’s hat-trick was the first by a France player in a competitive international since Dominique Rocheteau in 1985.
RESULTS
Europe
Croatia 1-0 Russia
Malta 0-6 Slovakia
Slovenia 2-1 Cyprus
Africa
Mali 1-0 Uganda
Zimbabwe 1-1 Ethiopia
DR Congo 2-0 Benin
M’gcar 1-1 Tanzania
TODAY
Niger v Djibouti
Kenya v Rwanda
Namibia v Togo
G’Bissau v Sudan
