JONATHAN SHALLARD in DOHA: Croatia benefited, deservedly, from the first penalty shootout of the 2022 World Cup to end the exciting Japanese adventure and reach the quarter-finals.

Japan had been expected to run the legs off the ageing Croat team but by the end of the 120 minutes it was the Blue Samarai who were hanging on for the shootout after a 1-1 draw.

Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was the Croat hero in the shootout saving the first two spotkicks from Takumi Minamino and Kaoru Mitomo and then the third from Yoshida. Marko Livaja was the only Croat to fail. He hit a post before Mario Pasalic cracked home the decisive kick for a 3-1 success. Croatia, in the quarter-finals, will play Brazil or South Korea who were due to meet in the last tie in the round of 16.

Ivan Perisic wasted an early chance to give Croatia the lead and Japan capitalised to go ahead two minutes before halftime. Daizen Maeda shot home after Shogo Taniguchi had pushed back a Ritsu Doan cross following a right-wing corner.

Daichi Kamada shot too high in the first minute of the second half, offering Croatia the opportunity to equalise with a fine header from Perisic in the 54th minute.

Japan, group stage conquerors of Germany and Spain, began to run out of energy. Am effort from Endo was tipped over the bar by Livakovic but most of the goal action was at the other end. Luka Modric had a fierce drive tipped acrobatically over the bar by keeper Gonda, Ante Budimir headed just wide and a Perisic drive was deflected for a corner.

In extra time Mitomo once ran half the length of the pitch to unleash a drive safely saved by Livakovic before Japan spent the rest of the time sealing off their own penalty area.

So to penalties.

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