But the Croats proved really threatening. On the fifth minute, Ivan Parisic raced down into the box and fired, but the ball was deflected at the fingertips of Caballero.

Then in the 32nd minute, Sime Vrsaljko sent a cross from the right to Mario Mandzukic, whose diving header went wide left.

On the other side, Argentina has wasted a few chances, especially when Enzo Perez struck at an empty net, only to see his shot wide left of the net.

Lionel Messi, who scored his first goal for Argentina against Croatia in a friendly back in 2006, failed to score again for his team. The Argentina captain had few chances touching the ball, only 20 times in the first half, while his teammate, Sergio Aguero from Manchester City, touched the ball only seven times.

Argentina have been crowned twice in World Cups, with the latest in 1986. It finished second in 2017. The last time Argentina failed to win either of their first two World Cup games was in 1974.

"I think the win was fully deserved, but it wasn't easy," said Luka Modric. "That first goal, in the second half, followed a mistake. It was a shot in the arm for us."

"We've emerged from the group after two games. We've beaten Argentina with the best player in the world - Messi - and we played a fantastic match, everything was top notch," said Zlatko Dalic, coach of Croatia. "However, we have to be calm, humble, dignified."

Argentina reverted to a three-man defence in the crucial game. "I had to devise a plan for this match. If I had set things up differently, things might have turned out much better," said the disappointed Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli.

【体坛英语资讯：Croatia batters Messis Argentina 3-0 to enter World Cup last 16】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Croatia bullish, Germany relieved at Euro 2008

★ 体坛英语资讯：Lin wins China derby to book final berth

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Britney Spears to appear in new Pussycat Dolls

★ 体坛英语资讯：Sharapova out, Federer hot at French Open

★ 体坛英语资讯：Brazil wins right to host 2014 World Cup

★ 体坛资讯：Japan beat UAE 3-1 at Asian Cup

★ 体坛英语资讯：Argentine celebrity Maradona could carry Olympic torch

★ 体坛英语资讯：Diving queen Guo shines at 2008 National Diving Championships

★ 体坛英语资讯：Boston 110, LA Lakers 91

★ 体坛资讯：Japan beat Australia through penalty shootout to reach Asian Cup semis