Croatia beat Japan by 3-1 on Penalties | Japan Knocked out from the World Cup after penalty shootout disaster against Croatia

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Croatia won in the knockouts as they have beaten Japan 3-1 in the penalties after the game ended 1-1 in regulation time plus extra time combined

For Japan, Minamino, Maya Yoshida and Mitoma missed the penalties while Asano scored the only one.

For Croatia, Pasalic, Brozovic and Vlasic scored while Livaja missed the only penalty. Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic became the ultimate hero saving three out of the four penalties.

Croatia will now face Brazil in the quarterfinal on December 9th. As Brazil have knockout South Korea by winning 4-1 in the Round of 16 stage and continued midfield icon Luka Modric’s stay at his fourth and likely final World Cup.
Mario Pasalic scored the winning penalty to send Croatia through after Ivan Perisic had pulled Croatia level in the 55th minute of normal time following Daizen Maeda’s opener for Japan just two minute before the half time, on Monday in the tournament’s last game at the Al Janoub Stadium in Wakrah, south of Qatar’s capital.

It was a dramatic finish that was ultimately decided by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic,
who blocked three of Japan’s four kicks in the shootout after the match ended 1-1.

Japan could easily have been ahead within three minutes when Shogo Taniguchi glanced a header wide from point-blank range and 10 minutes later Daizen Maeda came close to turning in Junya Ito’s brilliantly placed low ball from the right flank. Japan looked the better team and ready to inflict more damage but out of the blue Croatia’s most dangerous player Perisic levelled the scores with a bullet header from Dejan Lovren’s deep cross.

Just about a minute later, Wataru Endo got off a blast from outside the box that forced a phenomenal save from Croatian goaltender Dominik Livakovic. Game on!

Goals :

43′ GOAL! JAPAN! Maeda scores for Japan!

Another short corner for Japan. A whipped in cross bounces around in the box and the ball falls to Daizen Maeda, who sticks it in from close range. Japan deserve their lead.

At 43 mins: Japan 1-0 Croatia

55′ GOAL! Croatia! Perisic scores for Croatia!

Out of nowhere, Croatia are back in it. Lovren crosses into the box and Perisic heads into the bottom corner with incredible precision. Some goal, that.

At 55 mins: Japan 1-1 Croatia

Croatia wins 3-1 on Penalty against Japan

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