Recap: Croatia vs Brazil – World Cup 2022 | News World Cup Qatar 2022
Croatia score the equalizer late in extra time and then win the penalty shootout to upset favorites Brazil.
Croatia knocked tournament favorites Brazil out of the World Cup, beating the five-time champions 4-2 in a quarter-final penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes.
The 2018 finalists had their second consecutive shootout after beating Japan also on penalties in the last 16 games and will now face either the Netherlands or Argentina who will play each other later.
In an evening filled with tension and drama, Brazilian superstar Neymar thought he had won the game when he netted an extra-time goal for the five-time world champions.
But instead of protecting their lead, they went for a second and were punished when Croatia substitute Bruno Petkovic drilled in a left-footed equalizer three minutes from the end of extra time, breaking the Brazilians’ hearts.
In a tense first half at the Education City stadium on Friday, nothing separated tournament favorites Brazil and Croatia, with both sides taking advantage of half chances in a fluid game, but nothing clear.
On the contrary, Croatia took advantage of the best chance of the half, when, after 13 minutes, Ivan Perisic could only miss a whipping cross from Mario Pasalic past Alisson’s goal post.
The Brazilians, who have now lost four of their last five World Cup quarter-finals to European opposition, had a much better start to the second half and came closer in the 66th when Lucas Paqueta was denied by Livakovic.
Claims of a handball from defender Josip Juranovic were dismissed following a VAR review before Neymar was sent on by Richarlison in the 55th minute only to have his close-range effort blocked by Livakovic.
The Croatian keeper was busy and stopped Neymar again in the 76th minute, and in that time he made more saves in the game (seven) than his Brazilian counterpart, Alisson, had during the entire tournament (five).
Livakovic parried another Paqueta shot five minutes later as the few hundred Brazilian fans in the stands grew increasingly boisterous and impatient and the game went into extra time with Brazil coach Tite visibly nervous.
After 90 minutes without a goal, Brazil took a 1-0 lead with a bit of solo magic in extra time from Neymar.
He launched an attack from outside the box, played back-to-back braces to bamboozle the tired Croatian defence, then rounded the keeper to equal Brazilian great Pele’s record of 77 international goals as top scorer of all time.
But brave Croatia refused to give up and equalized when Bruno Petkovic scored in the 117th minute.
They then emerged victorious in the shootout with Livakovic saving Rodrygo’s kick and Marquinos hitting the post, leaving Neymar and his teammates in tears.
Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Luka Modric and Mislav Orsic converted the four penalties taken by Croatia, which dreams of its first world title.
They will then face Argentina or the Netherlands who will play later tonight.
Brazil have kept the negative record of losing a World Cup knockout tie against a European nation since beating Germany 2-0 in the 2002 final. They were knocked out in the quarter-finals for the fourth time in five events since then.
