Football
World Cup Qatar 2022: Croatia breaks the heart of Japan and faces Brazil in the quarterfinals on Friday
Dominik Livakovic
Croatia‘s goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was the hero yesterday at the Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, as he saved three penalties to help the 2018 finalists defeat Japan via penalty shootout to reach the quarter-finals in the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar.


The match had ended 1–1, and the win ensured Croatia brought their World Cup penalty shootout record to 3/3.

They beat Denmark and Russia in 2018 in the round of 16 and quarterfinals.

Japan is 0/2, having also lost to Paraguay in 2010.
Kivakovic saved penalties from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida before Mario Pasalic scored the winning penalty in their 3-1 win over Japan.
With the scores level at 1-1 after an absorbing 90 minutes, Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma came closest in the grueling half-hour of extra time, forcing Kivakovic to deflect a powerful shot from him.
Daichi Kamada fired wide after a smooth counter-attack from Japan minutes before Daizen Maeda deservedly put them ahead in the 43rd minute, firing from point-blank range after Ritsu Doan sent a cross into the penalty area.
Daizen Maeda had put Japan in front in the first half, before Ivan Perisic equalized to send the game to an additional 30 minutes, where neither team could find a winner.
Croatia, a beaten runner-up in Russia four years ago, will face Brazil in the quarterfinals, while Japan awaits its first appearance in the World Cup quarterfinals.
Japan were much better in the first half, Croatia struggled to cope with their energy and got their reward two minutes before the break.
A well-worked corner fell to Maeda in the box and he fired it home as Japan scored the opener for the first time in the tournament.
Croatia’s experience gradually began to show in the second half, and they equalized when Dejan Lovren finished with a superb cross and Perisic produced an equally impressive header that was hammered into the bottom corner.


