- Croatia beat Brazil by 4-2 in penalty shootout, to proceed to play the semi-finals
- At the end of extra time, scores being 1-1, match rolls into penalty
- Petkovic scores, helping Croatia level score with Brazil for 1-1
- Neymar scores first goal, as Brazil take 1-0 lead over Croatia in 105 minutes of the game
- At the end of second-half, scores being 0-0, the match will go into an extra time of 30 minutes
Five-times champions Brazil and Croatia were locked 0-0 at halftime in the first World Cup quarter-final on Friday, reports Reuters.
There was nothing to separate the Brazilians and their 2018 runners-up opponents, with both sides enjoying half chances in a free-flowing game, but nothing clear-cut.
If anything, Croatia enjoyed the best chance of the half, when, after 13 minutes, Ivan Perisic could only miss-cue a whipped Mario Pasalic cross past Alisson's goalpost.
The winner of this clash will face either Argentina or the Netherlands, who play later on Friday night, for a place in the final.
Croatia take on Brazil in the first quarter-final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup at the Education City Stadium in Ar-Rayyan on Friday. Croatia, who were beaten in the final of the last World Cup in 2018, eye second successive semi-final, but are aware of threat possessed by five-time champions Brazil, who thrashed South Korea 4-1 in their Round of 16 tie last week. Croatia, on the other hand, overcame Japan on penalties (3-1) after both teams were tied at 1-1 after 120 minutes.
Croatia XI: Livakovic, Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa, Brozovic, Kovacic, Modric, Pasalic, Perisic, Kramaric
Brazil XI: Alisson, Militao, Marquinhos, Silva, Danilo, Casemiro, Paqueta, Raphinha, Vinicius Jr, Neymar, Richarlison.
8:30 PM, Beware Brazil, warns captain Luka Modric
Luka Modric was laughing when somebody asked him the secret of his longevity.
A debutant at the 2006 World Cup and winner of the Golden Ball in 2018, Modric is the player for the ages, pulling the strings for Croatia from the centre of the park. The 37-year-old captain will again be doing the same on Friday when Brazil come calling at the Education City Stadium.
The debate ahead of the Brazil-Croatia quarter-final match at the Education City Stadium is less about tactics and more about whether the South American team, who are playing the game as if they are sketching dreams on the green fields of Qatar, will again celebrate their goal, or goals, with the dance that caught the eye of the world during their Round-of-16 win over South Korea.
It is as if it’s a given that Brazil will be scoring goals and Croatia will be defending. Such is the general perception among the fans, including most of the neutral ones, that it would be an effort in futility trying to establish who will be the favourites for Friday’s late game.
12:30 AM, Lionel Messi factor at play but Dutch wiser
A clipping of Lionel Messi’s goal against Nigeria four years ago is doing the rounds. A ball from the deep, Messi uses the left thigh and brings the ball down, a soft touch with the left and a right-footed finish into the far post. Argentina did not go beyond the last 16 in Russia, but this goal remains one of the best Messi has scored in the World Cup.
As Argentina gear up for the Netherlands for the quarter-final clash at Lusail Stadium on Friday, Messi, as expected, looms over the Dutch camp. But it’s the Dennis Bergkamp goal, which kicked out Argentina at the quarter-final stage in 1998, and similar to Messi’s goal, that got more traction. With the match tied at 1-1, Bergkamp, fresh from his double with Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, received a ball from Frank de Boer on the left. A touch with his right foot, then another touch to leave Roberto Ayala in his wake and then, with the outstep of his right foot, finished it into the far top corner. Two-one, game over for Argentina.
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal went on the offensive on Thursday, defending his tactics, reputation and past history as he sparred with reporters in another bellicose performance ahead of his country’s World Cup quarter final against Argentina.
