FOOTBALL DIGEST

CROATIA have one foot in the World Cup finals after thrashing Greece 4-1 in the first leg of their qualifying play-off in Zagreb. Luka Modric, Nikola Kalinic, Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric scored for Croatia to make Sunday’s second leg appear a formality. Sokratis Papastathopoulos replied for Greece.

SUNDERLAND forward Duncan Watmore has signed up for Common Goal. Watmore, 23, will donate one per cent of his salary to aid underprivileged children around the world. The initiative is run by Juan Mata of Manchester United. Bournemouth’s Charlie Daniels and Alfie Mawson of Swansea have also joined up.