Once again, penaltiesOnce again, penalties
The Croatian national team has reached the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar after beating Brazil in a penalty shootout (1-1, 4-2 on penalties), against which it managed to neutralize Neymar Jr.’s goal in the 105th minute with another by Bruno Petkovic in the final stretch of extra time, to complete the feat by winning from eleven meters.
Neymar, from goal to tears
The Paris Saint-Germain striker came to Tite’s side’s rescue in stoppage time in the first half of extra time, after a sensational one-on-one with Lucas Paquetá that put him one-on-one with goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who, after making nine saves, was unable to keep out one of the game’s major protagonists.
Croatia ties
However, Bruno Petkovic, in the only shot between the posts in the entire match for the Croatians, prevented the elimination with three minutes left in extra time, and the pass had to be said from eleven meters. Misses from Rodrygo, whose shot was saved by Livakovic, and from Marquinhos, who sent it against the post, completed Zlatko Dalic’s side’s heroics.
Croatia presses up
At the start of the quarterfinals of the World Cup, respect marked the duel between the first two contenders. Brazil, who repeated the formula of three central defenders, showed a lack of ideas in attack and a low pace, which Neymar and Vinícius tried to accelerate without luck.
Delaying positions
In fact, the Real Madrid striker was the first to test Dominik Livakovic after five minutes with a long-range shot that the Balkan goalkeeper had no trouble saving, and just a little later Mario Pasalic put in a cross into the heart of the box that Ivan Perisic narrowly missed.
Brazil, dominance without chances
With Lucas Paqueta totally disconnected, the ‘canarinha’ dominated the first 45 minutes but without reaching clear goal chances, which did come at the beginning of the second half. Already in the 47th minute, Livakovic had to save under the sticks a shot by Raphinha, which bounced before in Gvardiol, all after an action in which the Brazilian players asked for a penalty, unsuccessfully, for an involuntary handball by Josip Juranovic.
Dominik Livakovic
The Croatian goalkeeper also denied Neymar in the 55th minute in a one-on-one with Neymar, who almost took advantage of a Richarlison through ball, and ten minutes later he made a saving hand from a Paqueta hat-trick.
Fifth extra time for Croatia
It was only the beginning of the Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper’s festival, who was still on hand to stop a Neymar breakthrough in the 76th minute and a Paqueta shot in the 79th. In the face of Brazilian exasperation, Zlatko Dalic’s side did not despair on their way to their fifth extra time in the last six World Cup qualifiers.
Neymar
Paqueta warned again at the start of extra time and Pedro joined the South American siege of the Croatian area, which was only interrupted by a spectacular play by Petkovic that Brozovic failed to finish successfully. The prize for Tite’s team finally arrived in the first half of extra time, when Neymar, after a magnificent one-two with Paqueta, was left alone in front of Livakovic, whom he cut back to send the ball into the back of the net (min.105).
Tie before the end of overtime
However, with just three minutes to go, Petkovic emerged to fire a shot that, after touching Marquinhos, took just enough of a deflection to throw Alisson off his stride and into the net (min.117). It was all to be settled in the penalty shootout.
Croatia’s cold-bloodedness in the penalty shootout
As against Japan in the Round of 16, Croatia once again showed their coolness in front of goal to beat the Carioca goalkeeper with four shots, while Rodrygo missed Livakovic and Marquinhos hit the post to unleash madness in the Croatian ranks, once again in the semifinals for the second consecutive World Cup.
