An epoch-making win over four-time winners Germany before doing the unthinkable against 2010 winners Spain, giant-killers Japan were simply busy cleaning house in Qatar as the Samurai Blue topped Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2022 to set a date with Luka Modric-led Croatia in the Round of 16 phase. Living up to its giant-killers tag in the knockout stage of the Qatar World Cup, Japan took 2018 runners-up Croatia to the extremes in an action-packed Round of 16 encounter at the Al Janoub Stadium on Monday.
Japanese fans erupted in ecstasy when Daizen Maeda gave the Samurai Blue an early lead minutes before the end of the first half. Making sure the thrilling encounter goes into extra time in search of a winner, veteran Ivan Perisic got Croatia on level terms with a brilliant header in the 55th minute of the game. Breaking Japanese hearts in a dramatic penalty shootout, goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic scalped a hat-trick of saves to seal Croatia’s spot in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup.
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Livakovic, who was not the first-choice goalkeeper at Russia, shell-shocked Takumi Minamino by saving the first penalty of the shootout. After denying Kaoru Mitoma from the second spot kick, Livakovic blocked Maya Yoshida’s attempt by denying him from the fourth penalty to put Croatia on the brink of a famous win in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. Livakovic-inspired Croatia outclassed Japan 3-1 in the penalty shootout after the Round of 16 match ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Rewriting history at the grandest stage of them all, Livakovic became the third goalkeeper to produce three saves in a single penalty shootout at the FIFA World Cup. Croatia’s superstopper has joined the likes of ex-Portugal star Ricardo (2006 vs England) and Croatia’s own Danijel Subasic (2018 vs Denmark) in the elite list of goalkeepers. Livakovic is expected to embrace another busy night between the sticks in Qatar as Croatia are set to meet Neymar-starrer Brazil in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2022 at the Education City Stadium on Friday.