AL WAKRAH, Qatar - Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković saved penalties from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida before Mario Pašalić netted the winning spot-kick in their 3-1 shootout win over Japan on Monday to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.
Croatia vs. Japan full penalty shootout
BLOCKED! The first penalty from Japan is saved!
Japan: ❌
Croatia: pic.twitter.com/NBvPsYulJo— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
Croatia drains its first penalty!
Japan: ❌
Croatia: ✅ pic.twitter.com/V6L35SweB5— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
BLOCKED AGAIN!
Japan: ❌❌
Croatia: ✅ pic.twitter.com/Gc2cqL2Mrq— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
Croatia makes its second!
Japan: ❌❌
Croatia: ✅✅ pic.twitter.com/jzm9RZmlSX— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
Japan Makes its third!
Japan: ❌❌✅
Croatia: ✅✅ pic.twitter.com/T8kW9mqNrF— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
Croatia misses it's third
Japan: ❌❌✅Croatia: ✅✅❌ pic.twitter.com/BAFnt1MZZZ
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
Livaković does it again!
Japan: ❌❌✅❌Croatia: ✅✅❌ pic.twitter.com/E2P4GYm0g0
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
CROATIA WINS IT IN PENALTIES pic.twitter.com/xV6UmuHHuR
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
With the scores deadlocked at 1-1 after an absorbing 90 minutes, Japan's Kaoru Mitoma went closest in the scrappy half-hour of extra time, forcing Livaković to parry away his powerful drive.
Daichi Kamada had shot off target after a flowing Japan counter-attack minutes before Daizen Maeda deservedly put them ahead in the 43rd minute, firing home from close range after Ritsu Doan delivered an in-swinging cross into the penalty area.
JAPAN TAKES THE LEAD
Maeda puts Japan on top pic.twitter.com/qVartKoL4O— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
Croatia forward Ivan Perišić, who was denied by Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda in the opening minutes, pulled them level 10 minutes into the second half after meeting Dejan Lovren's cross with a powerful header.
CROATIA LEVELS THE SCORE
Perišić with an absolute beauty of a header pic.twitter.com/ZO3yuXGIm4— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2022
Croatia will face either Brazil or South Korea in the quarterfinals.
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma, editing by Ed Osmond)
