Croatia 1-1 Brazil
(Croatia win 4-2 on penalties)
Croatia are into the World Cup 2022 semi finals for the second time in a row after beating Brazil on penalties. The Selecao were stunned following a totally dominant 120 minutes but the Croatian Band of Brothers never gives in.
Zlatco Dalic’s team went into extra time for the second time in the competition and, as Brazil continued to press, Neymar thought he’d won the game with a moment of brilliance. But Croatia don’t know when they are beaten and when Bruno Petkovic fired home the leveller with five minutes remaining the life went out of the Samba Boys who faded in the shootout.
Highlights of the game
Brazil started with the same team which took the Korea Republic apart in the Round of 16, while Croatia introduced Mario Pasalic and Borno Sosa to refresh their group which had been through an exhausting 120 minutes against Japan. And it was the Croats who had the first effort on goal when Josip Juranovic drove at the Brazil defence, and when the ball fell to Pasalic he fired a low cross which Ivan Perisic met but failed to hit the target from ten yards. It was a warning for Brazil who responded through Vinicius Junior who weaved his way into a shooting position but his effort was blocked and Neymar chipped the rebound into the grateful hands of Dominik Livakovik.
Croatia talisman Luke Modric was having some success, denying his old Real Madrid team-mate Casemiro any space and, throughout the first half, the Selecao looked more dangerous going directly front to back in search of Vinicius, while Croatia’s dominant midfield controlled the pace of the game.
It was a first half of frustration for the Samba Boys, not one which will feature in the weekend World Cup 2022 highlights, but they came out for the second half seemingly determined to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Croatia keeper Livakovik suddenly became a busy guy, saving from Richarlison and making a great stop to save his defender Josko Gvardiol from putting through his own net. Croatia survived a penalty appeal when the ball struck Juranovic on the arm and Lucas Paqueta twice saw shots saved by the excellent Croatia stopper.
Livakovic was quick to come off his line and deny Neymar when the PSG man was about to pull the trigger, and then Eder Militao saw his low shot deflected just wide.
Extra time specialists Croatia were happy and the Selecao were concerned; but in the minute added on the first 15 we had the moment we were waiting for. And it was truly special. Neymar picked up the ball some 40 yards out and drove at the Croatia defence, playing a one-two with Pedro, before shrugging off a final challenge, rounding the keeper and smashing the ball high into the net.
The Samba crowd went crazy for the one play of sheer brilliance from the genius that is Neymar.
But Croatia are never done, and while the Brazil fans were starting to celebrate victory, Petkovic produced a moment no-one expected, in a rare Croatia attack he fired his team’s only shot on target which flew past Alisson with the help of a deflection off Marquinhos.
Rodrygo’s spot kick was saved by Livakovik to give Croatia a 1-0 lead, and the keeper’s team-mates planted their first four home which meant, when Marquinhos hit the post, the smash and grab was complete.
Key statistics
By the end of 90 minutes Brazil will have wondered how they were going into extra time, having had eight shots to none on target. But Croatia’s resistance finally broke when Brazil’s Number 10 turned on the style.
Neymar’s goal matched the great Pele’s record of 77 for Brazil…what an accolade and tribute to the finest player ever to have walked the planet. Friday 9th December looked like it belonged to Neymar but Petkovic’s first goal for his country in two years turned the tide.
Croatia have now won their last four World Cup penalty shootouts while Brazil have lost their first in four.
And the Selecao have now lost their last six World Cup knockouts against European opposition, a run dating back to 2002 when they defeated Germany.
The World Cup 2022 betting odds reckoned Brazil were going to win this tournament. Now it’s time to look elsewhere…towards Argentina or France.
What’s next?
So Brazil are on the way home and Croatia can look forward to a semi-final against the winner of Saturday night’s clash between Argentina and the Netherlands. On Saturday the other semi-finalists will emerge from two fascinating clashes as reigning champions France play England in the evening, a match we’ll be all over here at SBOTOP. Before Les Bleus and the Three Lions lock horns, Portugal take their turn to try to break down the rock solid and dangerous Morocco. The Atlas Lions are the outsiders at this stage of the competition but they will fancy their chances, having already beaten Belgium, ranked second in the world by FIFA.
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