Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic became the hero of the Croatian team by saving three penalties against Japan (1-1, 3-1 in the shootout) to lead his team to the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Qatar-2022, this Monday in Al Janoub Stadium.
Livakovic saved the shots of Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida to give his team the pass.
Earlier, in a vibrant match, Daizen Maeda had put the Asian team ahead (minute 43) and Ivan Perisic (55) equalized for the European team.
Croatia will face off in the quarterfinals with the winner of the match that will also be played this Monday by Brazil and South Korea (7:00 p.m. GMT).
Two chameleonic teams, dynamic Japan and rocky Croatia, able to swap roles during the duel, put on an exciting show.
The Balkans will play the quarterfinals of a World Cup for the third time. Third in 1998, four years ago they were runners-up after surviving three overtimes along the way.
Japan falls again in the round of 16, as in 2022, 2010 and 2018.
Dangerous with the blackboard
More ambitious, in the first part, Japan did not save anything and would have gone to half-time winning on points. But he managed to get ahead.
After scaring with several plays on the board, Maeda took the prize. He came out the winner from a ruckus in a cross from Ritsu Doan after a corner.
The Japanese had promised to play brave as if they were samurai and they kept their word from almost the first minute.
They started with a header from Shogo Taniguchi near a post (3). Then it was Junya Ito (13) and Doan (20) who found oil on the right flank, where left-back Borna Barisic showed a lack of shooting, substituting for Borna Sosa.
Croatia, a blended team more like a club than a national team, did not lose face to the game and Perisic had already been around the goal in two veteran actions.
First he pulled a trick to steal Takehiro Tomiyasu’s (8) bag, but ran into a magnificent Shuichi Gonda in goal.
Twenty minutes later he combed a cross from Barisic that Andrej Kramaric did not reach.
Ovation to Modric
After going through the changing rooms, the game seemed asleep. Japan had closed and Croatia passed the ball without much consequence, until Dejan Lovren took a perfect cross from the right and Perisic headed with authority from the penalty spot.
Far from being intimidated, Japan did not accuse the tie and in the next action Wataru Endo took out a cannon that Livakovic cleared for a corner with difficulty.
The exchange of blows continued with the appearance of the most distinguished of the players on the grass. Luka Modric kicked in from the front and Gonda flew in to save the goal (61).
In the last half hour, the Balkan team had smelled blood. Against Budimir, who had just entered the field, he did not square his header after a rebound (67) and Perisic, once again the smartest after a loss, unleashed a whip that a defender deflected into a corner (77).
The overtime had started with low revs. They went up suddenly when both fans fired Luka Modric with a standing ovation, replaced by Zlatko Dalic (99).
In extra time, the best chance was Japanese. Kaoru Mitoma starred in a ride that ended with a kick, but Livakovic (105) responded again.
In the shootout the Croatians Nikola Vlasic, Marcelo Brozovic and Mario Pasalic did not miss, while Marko Livaja ran into the post. On the Japanese side only Takuma Asano scored.
Livakovic and his three saves are already in the history of Croatian football.
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