That was the definition of a routine win for Croatia, with Modric sealing victory with that ice-cool second-half penalty. Straightforward stuff but Nigeria were desperately mediocre; food for thought for Gernot Rohr. Croatia will certainly have to up the ante against a team like Argentina (on Thursday) but, as they say, you can only beat what’s in front of you and they are a classy, professional side. Nigeria take on Iceland on Friday, with anything other than victory bound to end their journey in Russia. Thanks for your company at the end of a jam-packed Super Saturday. Shaun Walker’s report from Kaliningrad will be here shortly:

Croatia go top of Group D after breezing beyond Nigeria in Kaliningrad. That was pretty uneventful, but they cannot all be Friday-night good, can they?

90+4 min: “If Nigeria play like this on their next couple of games as well I don’t think that shirt that their supporters queued for for so long will become as fondly remembered as the one it was designed to commemorate,” emails David Wall.

90+2 min: Kovacic has a golden opportunity to add the gloss on a decent evening, but instead of squaring for Perisic, he shoots straight at Uzoho, the Nigeria goalkeeper.

90 min: There will be four minutes added time, four minutes.

88 min: It’s very nearly job done for Croatia. They’ve sucked the life out of Nigeria and, while not at their best, they’ve been pretty competent.

86 min: A neat one-two between Etebo and Musa ends with the former taking a touch on the edge of the box, glancing at goal ... and blazing way over. And then Moses shoots wide.

85 min: Mandzukic is replaced by Pjaca, his Juventus team-mate.

82 min: Croatia are going through the motions, knocking the ball about nicely. For them, the only sour note has just been and gone, a clumsy elbow by Shehu on Perisic leaving the Internazionale forward in a heap. Nigeria, unfortunately, cannot even claim to have laid a glove on their Group D opponents here.

80 min: Hang on a minute, Iheanacho and Musa combine, with Strinic doing brilliantly to intervene, just as Musa looks to pull the trigger for Nigeria. Moments like that are as good as its got.

78 min: Kovacic, of Real Madrid, replaces Rebic. Croatia are cruising.

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If you say that someone is on cruise control in a contest, you mean that they are winning the contest easily and without needing to make a lot of effort.

76 min: Nigeria are on their knees, which is even more galling when considering that Croatia’s only effort on target to date has been Modric’s penalty.

75 min: Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Odion Ighalo for Nigeria.

72 min: As it stands, Croatia are going top of Group D. They face Argentina on Friday and Nigeria have it all to do. Barring a miracle, they’re facing defeat in Kaliningrad this evening. And now Rebic wins Croatia another corner ...

Make that four out of six. The Croatia captain doubles their lead, sending Francis Uzoho, the teenage goalkeeper, the wrong way.

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70 min: Modric will take. Three out five penalties in Russia have been scored so far.

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69 min: Penalty to Croatia! ... Mandzukic is fouled by Troost-Ekong, who wraps his arms around the striker and fells him in the box as he rises to meet Modric’s corner.

66 min: Reluctant to speak too soon but Nigeria seem to have run out of ideas. Ighalo is painfully isolated, and seemingly a little disinterested. It’s all bit a lethargic, from both teams. The vuvuzelas are still going strong, though.

64 min: Šime Vrsaljko and Ante Rebic get their wires crossed, bumping into each other on the edge of the box. The former throws his hands into the air. They’re comfortable but, with Nigeria there for the taking, they have lacked any real conviction going forward or killer instinct.

63 min: Modric floats a searching ball into the box, with Troost-Ekong geeing up the troops as Nigeria concede a corner, from which Mandzukic heads wide for Croatia. The game is danger of getting away from them.

61 min: A roll of the dice for Nigeria, with Ahmed Musa replacing Alex Iwobi, who has been pretty anonymous.

58 min: Ighalo has half a chance but fails to properly connect, while another former forward, Ivica Olic, now the Croatia assistant manager, is dishing out a few instructions on the touchline. The impressive Kramaric is withdrawn, with Marcelo Brozovic on.

57 min: Nigeria navigate down the right flank through Moses but his cross is tame, and straight down Danijel Subašić’s throat. That’s too easy for Croatia.

54 min: A big miss by Rebic! A superb raking ball by Rakitic into Perisic, who plays a delightful ball himself. He bends a left-footed cross into Rebic – but the Frankfurt forward cannot send the net bulging, instead firing high and wide. Huge chance.

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53 min: Good news for Nigeria? Leicester’s esteemed double-act, Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho, are warming up.

52 min: Iwobi is busy, bustling in and around the box before Ighalo fouls Strinic. They’re trying but Nigeria do not seem to have any real plan of attack.

50 min: Rakitic lets fly from 30 yards out. It flies over.

48 min: Nigeria win three consecutive early corners, but each one is batted away. Leon Balogun, now of Brighton, had a header deflected wide but that was about as good as it got. Back Nigeria come down the right flank through Victor Moses, but his surging run, after bypassing Strinic, comes to nothing.

46 min: We’re back under way, with Nigeria presumably a bit more revved-up. They’ve had a hopefully-motivating team huddle at half-time and everything. Also, another nice email, courtesy of Charles Antaki. “This is a reassuringly dull game, just the kind of bland fare a tournament needs after the spicy stuff of Portugal-Spain and Argentina-Iceland,” he says. “And while Nigeria are fairly toothless, they’re clearly not in the Saudi Arabia basement-bin league, so no-one’s pride is likely to be seriously dented. A pleasing interlude.”

Arguably the standout player of a fairly tepid first half (no shots on target from either side) was Zagreb-born Andrej Kramaric, formerly Leicester City’s forgotten man. He’s been inspired since joining Hoffenheim permanently, though:

A slender lead at the interval, but once Oghenekaro Etebo diverted Mario Mandzukic’s diving header home, Croatia have controlled everything. Not a classic but a few glimpses of quality. The second half will be upon us in no time.

45 min: And Lovren makes a timely block from Alex Iwobi’s driven effort, after the ball dropped on the edge of the box. Nigeria need some kind of spark, after being flattened by that opener. Ighalo and Moses have hidden since the goal. The Nigeria supporters, meanwhile, are still ecstatic in the stands.

44 min: Moses wins a foul down the right flank ...

42 min: Perisic does brilliantly to get goal side of Troost-Ekong, allowing Croatia to pour a few bodies forward. The ball is helped out wide, where a marauding Šime Vrsaljko sends an ambitious effort horribly wide. Still, nice buildup.

39 min: Modric plays a wondrous raking crossfield ball to Rebic before Kramaric heads over from a pinpoint Rakitic pass. Another slick move and Croatia’s tails are up now.

35 min: Ah, that’s knocked the stuffing out of Nigeria. Suddenly Croatia, who though not dreadful seemed a little out of sorts, look pretty comfortable. Saying that, every time Nigeria hustle, the Croatia backline seems precarious.