Japan 1-1 Croatia: the Chequered Ones beat Japan on penalties

Japan, one of the last two remaining Asian participants in the World Cup, went toe to toe against 2018 World Cup’s runners-up

in an exhilarating game that saw both teams hold nothing back.

Coming off of their stunning wins against previous world champions Germany and Spain, Japan was full of confidence having topped the Group of Death but Croatia looked like no slouch either, having the experience on their side with players like Modric, Kovacic and Perisic.

However, Japan started the first half pretty well with them threating to score multiple times during the first half. Japan’s attack mainly came from the flanks with Doan and Ito generating the main threats. Croatia hit back with a few chances of their own but it was Japan who drew first blood after a practiced set-piece routine ended with Celtic striker Maeda finding Croatia’s net before the two teams went into the break.

The second half was a different story altogether as 2018’s second-placed Croatia didn’t into to go out without a fight. And they didn’t have to wait very long to level the planes, as Lovren’s low cross into the box found Tottenham winger Ivan Perisic who headed it home, making it 1-1.

This marked Perisic’s 10th direct goal contribution (6 goals and 4 assists) for Croatia in the World Cup which puts him only behind Lionel Messi (12) and Kylian Mbappe (11) ever since Perisic made his debut in the 2014 World Cup.

Japan’s response to the goal was quick though as manager Hajime Moriyasu subbed both of his wing-backs, bringing on Sakai and Mitoma as well as subbing his goal scorer Maeda, which resulted in Japan quelling Croatia’s threats for the most part in the normal 90 minutes of the game.

The game then went into extra time, making it the first match to not be decided in the normal time in the 2022 World Cup.

Both teams were cautious in extra time, with the only real chance from the first half of extra time coming from a long-range Mitoma effort which was punched away by Livakovic. The second half of extra time was also uneventful, save for a shot from Majer which went off target.

Thus the game went into the penalty shoot-outs with Croatia having the edge as they had won 7 of their last 8 penalty shoot-outs in different tournaments, two of them being in the 2018 World Cup.

Minamino and Mitoma took the first two

penalties both of which were saved by Livakovic and between those two Vlasic scored Croatia’s first and was followed by their second by Inter’s Borozovic. Then came Japan’s third penalty which was converted by Asano. Livaja then took Croatia’s third and gave Japan hope by missing it but Captain Yoshida was then denied by Livakovic again.

Mario Pasalic then converted Croatia’s fourth penalty, making it 3-1 in the penalty shoot-outs and taking Croatia to the quarter finals with goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic the hero as he saved 3 penalties from Japan.

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