Croatia defeated Japan 3-1 on penalties in the first-ever shootout at the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals.
In even 90 minutes of regulation play, Daizen Maeda put Japan ahead in the 43rd minute by sweeping in a close-range finish. Ivan Perisic equalised by meeting Dejan Lovren's cross from the right with a header into the bottom corner from near the penalty spot in the 57th.
Interestingly, this was Croatia's third appearance in the round of 16 at the World Cup. On the other hand, Japan reached the round of 16 for the fourth time including the previous two editions.
Both teams scored 1 goal each at the end of the 120 minutes of football plus injury time. The tournament finally witnessed this edition's first shootout.
Japan won the toss and both teams assembled at the halfway line of the shootout.
Penalty shootout by Japan:
- 1st: Minamino missed penalty
- 2nd: Mitoma missed penalty
- 3rd: Asano scored penalty
- 4th: Yoshida missed penalty
Penalty shootout by Croatia:
- 1st: Vlasic scored penalty
- 2nd: Brozovic scored penalty
- 3rd: Livaja missed penalty
- 4th: Pasalic scored penalty
On its run to the final four years ago, Croatia needed extra time in each round in the knockout stage — and twice came through a penalty shootout.
Japan had been looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time but fell short again, just like in 2002, 2010 and 2018. The Asian team lost to Paraguay in a penalty shootout in the round of 16 in 2010.
Croatia will play either Brazil or South Korea next.
Since 1998, all of Croatia's knockout matches at a World Cup or European Championship have gone to extra time except for the 2018 World Cup final loss to France.
