Penalty shootout leads Croatia to World Cup quarter-finals
Croatia reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup after defeating Japan on penalties (3-1), after the end of the original and extra time in a 1-1 draw today, Monday, in the final price competitions, at the South Stadium.
Japan's goal was scored by Daizen Maeda in the 43rd minute, while Ivan Perisic scored for Croatia in the 55th minute.
With this victory, Croatia await in the quarter-finals, the winner between the match between Brazil and South Korea.
The match began with pressure from Japan, as Taniguchi received a cross inside the box, and headed wide of the right-hand post in the second minute.
The response came quickly through Perisic, who took advantage of the mistake of the Japanese defense and drove into the box, and hit a powerful ball that goalkeeper Gonda saved in the seventh minute.
Croatia's Gvaridol aimed a powerful ball from outside the penalty area, which passed over the top of the Japan goal in the 23rd minute.
Japan's most dangerous attempt came in the 40th minute, with a shot from Kamada but it went over the Croatian goal.
Daizen Maeda snatched the lead for Japan in the 43rd minute, receiving a pass from teammate Maya Yoshida, after a mistake by the Croatia defender, and put the ball into the net.
The first half ended with Japan leading by a goal without reply.
At the start of the second half, Japan continued to threaten, with a shot from Kamada that went over the top of the Croatian goal in the 46th minute.
Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic aimed a ball from outside the area, which passed along the right post in the 48th minute.
Penalty shootout leads Croatia to World Cup quarter-finals at the expense of Japan
Ivan Perisic scored the equalizer for Croatia in the 55th minute, receiving a cross from the right through teammate Dejan Lovren, and firing a header to the left of the goalkeeper.
Gunda, goalkeeper of the Japanese national team, starred in saving a powerful shot from Luka Modric in the 62nd minute.
Perisic aimed a powerful ball from outside the box, which passed by the right post in the 76th minute.
The attempts continued without effect, and the original time ended in a positive draw, and the direction to extra time.
Mitoma sent in a shot from outside the box, which was brilliantly saved by the Croatia goalkeeper in the 104th minute.
Lovreau Mayer's shot on the edge of the box went past the right post.
The two teams went to the penalty shootout, which smiled at Croatia (3-1), after Minamino, Mituma and Maya Yoshida missed the trio of Japan, and Marko Levia of Croatia.
