After Croatia defeated Japan on penalties in their last-16 match, Japan’s hopes of making a first-ever World Cup quarterfinal were dashed. Croatia now faces either Brazil or South Korea in the next round in Qatar.
Croatia preserved their composure from the penalty spot after the game at Al Janoub Stadium concluded with a score of 1-1 after extra time.
Dominik Livakovic, Croatia’s goalkeeper, stopped three of the meek Japanese attempts before Mario Pasalic converted Croatia’s winning penalty to win the shootout 3-1.
In the quarterfinal on Friday, Zlatko Dalic‘s team will play the victor of the match between Brazil and South Korea from the round of 16.
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As one of the surprises of the tournament thus far in Qatar, Japan had topped Group E with incredible comeback victory over past World Cup champions Germany and Spain.
They contributed to an exciting matchup with World Cup champions Croatia, with Daizen Maeda scoring the game’s first goal in the 43rd minute.
Ivan Perisic, a stalwart for Croatia, scored a perfectly placed header to give them a comeback in the second half.
As extra time continued, the game started to lose some of its energy, but Croatia showed once again that they would support themselves in a shootout, just as they had done twice earlier in the knockout stages on their journey to the final in Russia four years prior.
Takumi Minamino of Monaco had a weak initial attempt that goalkeeper Livakovic saved, which gave Japan the advantage in the shootout.
Nikola Vlasic, a former playmaker for CSKA Moscow, scored Croatia’s first penalty kick, but Livakovic correctly judged how to stop Kaoru Mitoma’s follow-up attempt.
Before Takuma Asano scored, Marcelo Brozovic slid his shot into the net to keep Japan’s hopes alive.
Croatia’s Marko Livaja casually struck the goal post, but Maya Yoshida, the captain of Japan, saw his attempt blocked by the inspired Livakovic.
Former Spartak Moscow loanee Pasalic scored the go-ahead penalty as Croatia joyfully hailed their advancement by encircling Livakovic and the Japanese players watched in misery.
The Japanese left the tournament in a heartbreaking way after contributing so much excitement and vigour.
In fact, Japan had the better starting at Al Janoub Stadium, and they may have taken the lead in the first two minutes if Shogo Taniguchi had performed better with his close-range header.
Just before halftime, Japan finally got the breakthrough after displaying much greater attacking menace.
Ritsu Doan blasted a cross into the box following a skillfully executed short corner, where captain Yoshida poked the ball sideways for Maeda to slam it into the goal.
In their four games in Qatar, Japan had never started the scoring before, but it was merely what their energetic effort deserved.
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Croatia entered the game after the break aware that they had fallen far short of the standards they had grown accustomed to establishing.
However, Croatia levelled the score five minutes into the second half.
Dejan Lovren of Zenit St. Petersburg’s defence played a long ball into the area, where Perisic outmuscled his defender and expertly headed the ball past Shuichi Gonda and into the bottom corner.
For Perisic, a man who was so crucial to their march to the final in Russia four years ago, it was his 33rd goal while wearing the national team colours.
Additionally, Perisic broke Davor Suker’s Croatian record by scoring his tenth goal at a major competition.
The score enlivened Croatia. A dangerous dipping volley from outside the box by Luka Modric, who made his World Cup debut against the Japanese in Germany back in 2006, tested Gonda, who saved it.
Soon after, Ante Budimir, a replacement from Croatia who was standing free at the back post, missed with a header.
In a thrilling match, Croatia threatened while Japan continued to contribute, but the score remained tied at 1-1 as the first game in Qatar to go into extra time.
The game’s excitement considerably diminished as Japan sat back, and in the 99th minute, Lovro Majer replaced the 37-year-old Modric as Croatia attempted to reenergize their middle.
On a rare Japanese incursion towards danger, substitute Mitoma—a hero after providing the pivotal assist against Spain—blasted forward and forced Livakovic to make a save with a strong effort into the centre of the goal.
Croatia missed their final opportunity to win the match before penalties when Majer pulled a shot wide of the post from the edge of the box in the final seconds.
But Croatia got it right in the shootout again as Livakovic was the hero, just as they did with penalty wins against Denmark and Russia at the World Cup four years ago.
