FIFA World Cup: Sluggish and aging Belgians eliminated from World Cup after Romelu Lukaku's miss

Substitute Romelu Lukaku hit the post for Belgium in the second half, but the Belgians would have needed all three points to advance. A draw was enough for Croatia to finish second in Group F behind Morocco.

Belgium failed to impress in its first two games - a 1-0 win over Canada and a 2-0 loss to Morocco - and the final match will likely mark the end of Roberto Martinez's time as coach of the 'golden generation."

Eden Hazard was left out for his country's all-or-nothing game, and even his late substitution failed to inspire the team.

Ivan Perisic almost gave Croatia a dream start when he picked up a pass from Luka Modric and missed a shot by inches after just 10 seconds.

Belgium looked nervous under pressure, but Kevin De Bruyne propelled the team forward in the 13th minute and laid on for Dries Mertens, who fired the ball over the bar.

The video assistant reprieved Martinez's side in the 15th minute after referee Anthony Taylor awarded Croatia a penalty after Yannick Carrasco obstructed Andrej Kramaric.

The penalty decision was not in doubt, but VAR intervened and asked Taylor to check the monitor on the sidelines for an earlier offside; after that, the English referee did not give the penalty.

Belgium initially dominated the game but failed to add another goal in a scoreless first half, while Croatia retook the lead in first-half stoppage time through Josip Juranovic.

Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic easily kept out substitute Romelu Lukaku's header shortly after the restart as Belgium tried to add momentum to the game.

But the Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to make successive saves from Marcelo Brozovic and Luka Modric.

Romelu Lukaku then missed Belgium's best chance. Another great pass from De Bruyne put Carrasco in position, and when his shot was blocked, the striker fired the rebound against the post.

Romelu Lukaku despaired, even more, when he headed across the goal in front of the open goal, but De Bruyne had failed to keep the ball in play before delivering another pinpoint cross.

Croatia had already applied considerable pressure when Luka Modric forced Courtois into another save before Belgium pressed for the late goal.

Romelu Lukaku had another clear chance to put Belgium ahead in the final minute, but his shot from a Thorgan Hazard cross was saved on the line by Livakovic.

In the closing stages, the Chelsea FC striker failed again to beat Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol, who made a brilliant save to prevent the goal.