Croatian gamers have a good time after defeating Japan on penalty shootouts. AP
Doha: Croatia reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Monday with a dramatic 3-1 penalty shoot-out win over Japan after a tense last-16 conflict ended 1-1.
Mario Pasalic struck the successful penalty to ship Croatia by means of after Ivan Perisic had pulled Croatia stage within the fifty fifth minute of regular time following Daizen Maeda’s opener for Japan simply earlier than the break.
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Croatia now face both Brazil or South Korea within the final eight and continued midfield icon Luka Modric’s keep at his fourth and sure closing World Cup after Dominik Livakovic saved three of Japan’s weak penalties.
“They gave us a tough recreation, however we knew that might be the case, it’s no coincidence that they beat Germany and Spain,” mentioned Nikola Vlasic.
“We had extra possibilities and I believe we deserved to win.”
Japan’s bid to succeed in the final eight for the primary time of their historical past got here to a crushing finish after one other show of the kind which noticed them prime Group E.
Nonetheless, they may not declare another massive European scalp within the form of the 2018 finalists and go house within the second spherical, as they did 4 years in the past.
“The gamers confirmed us the long run, a brand new period of Japanese soccer,” Moriyasu mentioned.
“We beat Germany, we beat Spain… If we take confidence in that, and if we take into consideration overtaking these groups relatively than simply catching up, the long run is shiny.”
Shoot-out triumph
Japan might simply have been forward inside three minutes when Shogo Taniguchi glanced a header extensive from point-blank vary, and 10 minutes later Daizen Maeda got here near handing over Junya Ito’s brilliantly positioned low ball from the proper flank.
Within the meantime, Perisic had let off a shot from a good angle which led to a goalmouth scramble however had Croatia scored they risked the purpose being dominated out for what seemed like a transparent push on Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Bruno Petkovic then wasted an important alternative within the twenty fifth minute, strolling by means of nearly unopposed onto an extended by means of ball solely to dawdle and fail to get a move off to Andrej Kramaric who was charging into the field.
Kramaric was then too gradual to latch on to Perisic’s harmful flick-on and from there Japan took management and the lead.
Daichi Kamada had already blasted over after an excellent passing transfer when within the forty third minute Maeda fired within the opener after Ritsu Doan’s cross was knocked down by Maya Yoshida.
Japan seemed the higher staff and able to inflict extra injury however out of blue Croatia’s most harmful participant Perisic levelled the scores with a bullet header from Dejan Lovren’s deep cross.
Nearly instantly afterwards, Wataru Endo responded by having a superb strike tipped over the bar by Livakovic earlier than Shuichi Gonda pulled off the save of the match to maintain out Modric’s fantastically struck, dripping shot.
Modric was changed 9 minutes into the primary half of additional time through which Japan had one of the best probability, Kaoru Mitoma’s effort nicely tipped away by Livakovic.
With penalties drawing shut, one closing probability fell to Modric’s alternative Lovro Majer, who dragged his shot extensive, however his Livakovic prevailed within the shoot-out to finish the Blue Samurai’s entertaining journey.
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