It will be a battle for third place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Croatia battles Morocco on Saturday, with both looking to secure the bronze. It's time to continue our World Cup odds series with a Croatia-Morocco prediction and pick.

These teams met in the group stage. Somehow, they both advanced to the final four and will face each other. Croatia is in the final four for the second straight World Cup. Unfortunately, they will not play for the title this time but will get a chance to finish third. They started their World Cup journey with a scoreless draw against Morocco back in the group stage. Then, they defeated Canada 4-1 and endured a scoreless draw with Belgium to advance to the Round of 16. Croatia defeated Japan by nailing three penalty kicks and stopping the Japanese from executing their shots. Next, they shocked Brazil in the quarterfinals by again sending the match into penalty kicks, where they outscored the Brazilians 4-2. Argentina shut Croatia out 3-0 in the semifinals.

Morocco began their World Cup journey by playing to a scoreless draw with Croatia. Then, they defeated Belgium 2-0 and Canada 2-1 to advance to the Round of 16. The Moroccans shocked Spain in the Round of 16 by winning penalty kicks 3-0. Next, they dispatched Portugal 1-0 in the quarterfinals before falling 2-0 to France.

Croatia will attempt to secure their second top-three finish in two World Cups, while Morocco has never finished above the top eight. Ultimately, both countries are looking to make history.

Here are the Croatia-Morocco World Cup odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

World Cup Odds: Croatia-Morocco Odds

Croatia: -132

Morocco: +100

Over 2.5 Goals: -102

Under 2.5 Goals: -118

Why Croatia Will Beat Morocco

Croatia is a similar squad to the Netherlands. Significantly, no one had them finishing in the top four in their World Cup brackets, yet here they are. Croatia has scored six goals and allowed six throughout the tournament. Additionally, they have accessed seven yellow cards but have not had a red. They have also taken 67 attempts on goal and completed 87 percent of their passes. Also, Croatia has attempted 24 corner kicks.

Andrej Kramaric leads the Croatians with two goals, both coming on penalty kicks. Meanwhile, Ivan Perisic has one goal and two assists while also taking 17 attempts on goal. Midfielder Marko Livaja has a goal to his credit. Meanwhile, Bruno Petkovic and Lovro Majer each have a goal on the penalty kick. Marcelo Brozovic has 520 passes completed.

Croatia has thrived on defense, with the only bad game happening against Argentina. Significantly, goalie Dominic Livakovic has excelled in the net, making 24 saves. He also has prevented 75 goals with his style.

Croatia will beat Morocco if they can continue to break down the field efficiently and execute on their passes. Ultimately, it will come down to the team that breaks down first. Croatia and Morocco play similar styles, and the Croatians must take it to the next level.

Why Morocco Will Beat Croatia

Morocco has been the Cinderella story of the World Cup. Stunningly, they have gotten past every obstacle and still should feel proud despite falling to France. Now they have a chance to secure a third-place finish and cement themselves in World Cup history.

Morocco has one red card and seven yellow cards on their credit. Also, they have scored five goals, allowed three, and produced four clean sheets. They completed 81 percent of their passes and also reached the goal on 27 percent of their kicks. However, what set them apart was the opportunities they converted. Morocco had space to move the ball freely and took 29 attempts at the goal inside the penalty area, compared to 25 outside. Likewise, they had nine corner-kick opportunities.

En Nesyri led the team with two goals, while Achraf Hakimi completed 294 passes. Meanwhile, Hakim Ziyech completed 28 crosses and made nine attempts on the goal, providing one assist on the final tally.

Defense was essential for Morocco. Moreover, their strong defensive play helped keep the team alive throughout the tournament. Azzedine Ounahi applied the most defensive pressures, with a staggering 352. Additionally, Yassine Bounou prevented 53 goals. It helped their goalkeeper and kept the pressure off. Significantly, goalkeeper Bono finished with five saves.

Morocco must play the best defensive game of their lives to defeat Croatia. Substantially, they had a scoreless draw with Croatia in the group stage and have a fresh idea on ways they could potentially beat them.

Final Croatia-Morocco Prediction & Pick

Croatia is a team under the radar, and Morocco is a team no one expected to be here. Consequently, this will come down to experience. Croatia will find a way to score, and it might not take much. Expect them to win a tight contest and secure the bronze.

Final Croatia-Morocco Prediction & Pick: Croatia: -132