![Croatia's Luka Modric and Morocco's Abderrazak Hamdallah battle for the ball in their goalless draw. (AP PHOTO) Croatia's Luka Modric and Morocco's Abderrazak Hamdallah battle for the ball in their goalless draw. (AP PHOTO)](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/845b0635-a343-481f-9a39-c73855b30f35.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Luka Modric's Croatia have made a frustrating start to the Qatar World Cup with the 2018 runners-up held to a goalless draw by stubborn Morocco.
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Chances were sparse with Real Madrid's Modric among those coming closest in the opening match in Group F which also features Belgium and Canada who meet later in the day.
The Atlas Lions contained Croatia well for most of Wednesday's game but also failed to manage a breakthrough in Al Khor.
A long-distance attempt from Ivan Perisic went over the crossbar before Croatia came closest just before intermission, Nikola Vlasic denied by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou from close range after a fast move, and Modric then blazing high from the edge of the area.
The 37-year-old Modric and his team also lacked ideas in the second half and their goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic had to palm away a fierce but not very accurate free-kick from Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi in the 65th.
Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, back in the Morocco squad under new coach Walid Regragui, also failed to make a decisive impact as the game ended in the third 0-0 of the tournament.
Australian Associated Press