Croatia 0 Belgium 0 LIVE SCORE: Romelu Lukaku header SAVED as Belgium on cusp of World Cup exit

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

47, De Bruyne immediately combining with Lukaku.

The substitute peels wide and holds off Gvardiol well before taking his position in the box.

De Bruyne curls it into the area but Croatia deal with it.

Second half – Croatia 0-0 Belgium

We’re back underway and there is one big change to report.

Romelu Lukaku is on for Mertens. He has three goals in his last two games against Croatia.

Half-time stats

There has been little to separate the sides so far, and even less to celebrate.

Gary Lineker and co are doing everything they can to kill time in the studio.

Let’s hope for better in the second half.

Martin Lipton reports from Al Rayyan

SunSport’s Martin Lipton has his say at the break.

Needs a goal. As they say.

Although, technically, Croatia don’t. At least if they just want to go through rather than win the group.

By the way, if Croatia score one and Morocco get another, they will be level on points – seven – goal difference and goals scored.

You know what that would mean – yellow card count to win the group.

At half-time, that’s….2-2. Dead level. It would mean lots being drawn back at the Main Media Centre two stops back on the Metro later tonight.

Martin LiptonSunSport

Neil Custis in Qatar

Here is Neil Custis’ half-time report from the stadium:

ALF-TIME AT The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium and the way Belgium are playing you would not put much money on them progressing with the win they need.

By the break their hopes of making it into the last 16 had only been kept alive by a VAR reversal as Luka Modric prepared to put Croatia ahead from the penalty spot on 15 minutes.

Andrej Kramaric reached for a loose ball in the box and was felled by Yannick Carrasco.

No complaints as English referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot and everyone was lined up and ready for Modric to take the penalty.

Then Taylor was called to the off pitch to screen to review the situation and he agreed that Dejan Lovren was just offside when the first ball was played into the area and had interfered with play.

A let off for Belgium but they had barely threatened at the other end.

They looked happy to sit deep and play on the break.

To be fair that nearly worked shortly before the penalty award when Kevin de Bruyne charged half the length of the field and laid the ball off to Dries Mertens but his finish was woeful curling a shot way over the bar.

Before that when Mertens has found Carrasco at the far post Josip Juranovic got back well to block his shot.

Indeed for a game with so much on it, this was amazingly flat and subdued.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said his side would not play for the draw they needed but with Belgium hardly pushing the pace they seemed happy with the situation as it stood.

Neil CustisSunSport

HALF-TIME – Croatia 0-0 Belgium

The ball drops to Juranovic on the edge of the area, and his sliced effort signals the end of a half that won’t live long in the memory.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

There will be four added minutes here.

Over in the other game, Morocco are 2-1 up and currently top of group F.

As it stands, Belgium are heading home.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

44, De Bruyne digs out a great first time cross into the six-yard box.

Livakovic was out quickly to claim it, but Mertens really had to gamble at the near post.

You sense Lukaku would have been licking his lips at that opportunity.

Sosa then blazes his effort into the stands. A lack of composure from the full-back.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

41, Belgium use the Mexican wave as encouragement and pile forward with some urgency.

Dendoncker makes a good run down the right and slides a dangerous ball across the face of goal.

No one in red could get on the end of it and Croatia escape.

Martin Lipton in Al Rayyan

SunSport’s Martin Lipton on the atmosphere inside the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.

There is a strange mood inside the stadium.

Subdued, uncertain, nervous.

Croatia still appear the more composed team, although the statistics suggest it’s far more even a contest than it feels.

And, of course, if you have De Bruyne, you will always have hope.

At some point, surely, Martinez will have to think about Lukaku, no matter how fit he really is.

Martin LiptonSunSport

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

36, Trossard picks up possession on the edge of the area. He holds on to it for too long and can’t get the pass away to De Bruyne.

Perisic had tracked back brilliantly to intercept.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

35, Witsel drives forward and just kept going. They eventually work it wide to Castagne who crosses into Trossard.

It’s a mismatch against Lovren and the Croats clear it to safety.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

32, Perisic checks inside and finds Brozovic who’s shot is deflected.

It comes out to Sosa who wastes no time curling in a decent cross. Livaja meets it but it’s over the bar.

Courtois was stood rooted.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

28, All of Croatia’s good work is down their wings.

Kramaric and Perisic are hugging the touchline, pulling out Belgium’s wing-backs so wide that Modric has acres of room in the middle.

Still goalless as we approach the half hour mark.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

25, Witsel has a crack from distance, but it’s not struck with any real venom and Livakovic can claim it eventually.

Croatia are able to move defence into attack in a heartbeat and they have a corner now.

Martin Lipton on the penalty

Or offside, I should say.

Croatia can’t believe it. Belgium can’t believe their luck.

Anthony Taylor rightly points to the spot when Carrasco’s stupid stray boot brings Kramaric down.

But the men in the VAR booth intervene.

The micrometers and computer gadgets say Lovren was a matter of millimetres offside when he forced the panicky header, so it was not a “deliberate play”.

And the ball then fell to Kramaric, who was even further advanced and surely would have called as well as he retreated from a “Griezmann” type position to take advantage of the error.

Disbelief from the Balkan sans when they see the 3D illustration. But a correct call.

Martin LiptonSunSport

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

20, Modric flashes a teasing ball across the area, but Belgium just about manage to hack it clear.

It’s been a dramatic start, that’s for sure.

Martin Lipton in Qatar

Here’s the low-down from the stadium…

Defences on top. Not at all. In fact, both of them look horribly vulnerable already.

News of that Moroco goal against Canada has upped the ante even more.

If that scoreline does not alter adversely for the North Africans, one of these is going out.

Croatia only need a draw. Belgium must win.

Twitchy. On and off the pitch.

Martin LiptonSunSport

NO PENALTY – Croatia 0-0 Belgium

18, Anthony Taylor rules out the penalty for an offside.

A ridiculously long wait for what should be a simple decision for VAR.

A lucky escape for Belgium and Carrasco. But letter of the law and all that.

But wait…

16, There is a delay as VAR check for an offside in the build-up to the penalty…

Anthony Taylor has gone over to the screen now. There is an overwhelming sense of confusion inside the stadium.

PENALTY to Croatia

14, Carrasco steps on Kramaric’s toes in the box and Anthony Taylor points to the spot!

Modric will take…

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

13, Massive chance!

De Bruyne drives his team forward on the counter and puts it on a plate for Mertens who gets it all wrong, curling his first time effort high and wide.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

11, Mertens makes a smart run and gets in behind.

He rolls it across goal but no one had gambled. It falls to Carrasco who hit it from a tight angle, but straight into a white shirt.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

10, Alderweireld plays a brilliant ball over the top to Mertens who can’t quite bring it under his spell.

Nice idea from the defender.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

8, Trossard uses his body to win a foul in the middle of the park.

Carrasco then cuts inside and gets a shot away, which takes a nick off Juranovic who followed him all the way.

Belgium are just starting to get a foothold in the game.