Croatia dance after music stops for Brazil
DOHA: The tie that came with such top billing midway at the World Cup here, would fail to rise to any great heights but just when it all looked destined for the penalty shootout, Neymar would come up with a piece of genius, so belated that you had to rub your eyes to realize that it actually happened.
But, but just when it seemed all over, four minutes from time, Bruno Petkovic, fed off a ball from Mario Pasalic on the left, all of it off a final, crazy run, throwing whatever they had left in them, ensured that things would be still very much alive, the ball flying in past the hands of Alisson Becker.
Penalties, it would be.
Nikola Vlasic would shoot up and in into the Brazilian goal. Rodrygo's effort would be saved by the young Dominik Livakovic, who had proved so unbreachable in the game. Lovro Majer would make no mistake, Livakovic would go very, very close to Casemiro's effort. Luka Modric would make it look simple, so would Pedro for Brazil. Mislav Orsic would keep Croatia ahead, while Marquinho's effort would hit the post and roll out. End of story.
End of story? Not quite.
Earlier, the Croatian shocker would negate the special effort from Neymar. It was a goal that was coming for the past 105 minutes, the Brazilians chipping away and working at the Croatian phalanx, without any of the flair they have managed to get everyone talking about, finally managed to break past Livakovic in the Croatian goal.
In a move where he demanded the ball off Casemiro in his own half and made his way up and past the tiring Croatians, Neymar would continue till the very end, fed off Paqueta, past the attentions of Borna Sosa and finally past the seemingly unbreakable Livakovic.
Till their goal and coming off Neymar's strike, the Croats, for their part, would not be able to derive any credit from it all, choosing to give Brazil too much respect and happy to continue defending and repulsing the Brazilian chip and charge. As the game and stalemate would continue, and Livakovic ready for anything that came his way, it would also give you the indication that only an error now, would prove decisive as also the most anti-climactic end for a contest played up for its high technical efficiency and skill.
Thankfully, Neymar would ensure it didn't finally end that way. But fate and the Croatians would have other ideas.
It would be such a promising affair at the start. In the 12th minute Ivan Perisic missed a close chance off a cross following fine service from Pasalic on the right. These were chances Croatia needed to put away early if they had to trouble the Brazilians as the game wore on.
In the 19th, Vinicius moved in from the left but the Croats were ready in numbers. Then Neymar would make a try but it would be a tame one to Livakovic.
The Brazilians were growing in strength, beginning to set up fine, small passes at the edge of the Croatian box. Neymar set up Casemiro with a tap, but it proved easy for Livakovic.
Josko Gvardiol would be easily cutting off the Brazil inter-passing in his box, Luka Modric would be playing deeper than normal to negate any Brazil threat, often using the overlapping Josip Juranovic to start the Croatian moves along the right.
In the 24th minute, Danilo would bring down Pasalic on a break on the right. It would earn him a booking and a chance for Modric to try something with the free kick. The attempt would be headed away.
Five minutes before the break, Vinicius would be brought down on the left top edge of the Croatian box, Neymar's swerving freekick would be collected by Livakovic.
1/8:Croatia beat Brazil on penalties to enter FIFA World Cup semis
2/8:Croatia knock Brazil out
<p>Croatia knocked Brazil out of the World Cup on Friday, beating the five-time champions 4-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals for the second straight time.</p>
3/8:Livakovic saves Rodrygo's penalty
<p>Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved a penalty attempt by Rodrygo and Marquinhos later hit the post.</p>
4/8:Neymar puts Brazil ahead
<p>After a goalless 90 minutes, Neymar put Brazil in the lead with a clinical finish in the stoppage time of the first half of the extra time.</p>
5/8:Petkovic scores equaliser for Croatia
<p>Substitute Bruno Petkovic took the match into the penalty shootout by scoring the equaliser for Croatia in the 117th minute.</p>
6/8:Neymar equals Pele's record
<p>Neymar's goal moved him into a tie with Pele as Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 77 goals.</p>
7/8:Croatia's love for extratime
<p>Five of Croatia's last six matches at World Cups have gone to extratime, including in its penalty shootout win over Japan in the round of 16 in Qatar. The team has been successful in eight of its last 10 knockout matches at the tournament.</p>
8/8:Brazil fail to qualify for semis since 2014
<p>Brazil was trying to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2014. The team hadn't made it to the last four since hosting the tournament eight years ago, when the Selecao was embarrassed by Germany 7-1.</p>The second half would begin with a Militao cross intended for Danilo instead meeting Gvardiol and being deflected for an own goal but Livakovic scrambles to save it. It is the first in a series of swift attempts on the Croat goal, making their usually compact defence shaky for the first time. One of these moves, would result in a VAR-check for a possible penalty for a handball by Borna Sosa but would be overruled.
Livakovic would save the day a few good times for Croatia, using his hands, chest, flailing legs to thwart the Brazilians. The South Americans would be gaining in strength, laying siege on his goal – five minutes past the hour, Paqueta would break free after yet another miscommunication between Dejan Lovren and Sosa, but Livakovic would just parry it with his body.
So busy defending deep would the Croats be that any chance at attack on the Brazilian goal would have the aspect of urgency and unpreparedness to them, most of the time the first touch deserting the usually sure Croatians. Modric would fade away for long phases, Kovacevic would be mostly invisible and Perisic wasteful.
Neymar would continue to break on from the left and middle, most of the runs looking like sure goals but Livakovic would either have a stray knee like some distant family connection in dire times, or another body part saving the day.
