FIFA WORLD CUP 2022: Japan Vs Croatia 1 – 1 All Goals Extended Highlights

FIFA WORLD CUP 2022: Japan Vs Croatia 1 – 1 All Goals Extended Highlights Download Video Mp4

Japan vs Croatia, FIFA World Cup 2022 Live Updates: Extra time ends at 1-1, penalty shootout time

Japan has already taken down World Cup giants in Germany and Spain, but it seems to be facing its toughest test yet in a 1–1 extra-time battle with 2018 runner-up Croatia.

The Samurai Blue opened the scoring in the 43rd minute courtesy of Daizen Maeda, but Croatia answered back early in the second half thanks to Ivan Perišic’s 55th-minute strike.

Widely written out of a knockout appearance before the tournament, the Samurai Blue stunned the world with massive upsets to win Group E, despite losing to last-place Costa Rica, helping send home Germany in the process. Japan will have plenty of motivation against Croatia as the side looks to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time.

Croatia, meanwhile, didn’t look all too sharp in its three World Cup matches that featured scoreless draws against Morocco and Belgium and a drubbing of Canada. Yet it brought plenty of experience into the knockout stage.

The winner of this matchup will face the winner of Brazil vs. South Korea in the quarterfinals.

Japan looked up to the task early with Shogo Taniguchi coming close in the second minute. The defender rose to an open header but sent his chance just wide of the target as Croatia stood by watching.

In the eighth minute, Takehiro Tomiyasu slipped after misplaying a back pass, which allowed Perišić to have an open chance on goal with just the keeper to beat. But Shuichi Gonda came up with a massive save on the solo effort to deny Croatia a great chance to take the lead.

Japan was inches away from taking the lead in the 12th minute when Junya Ito sent a perfect ball across the face of goal, but Maeda just missed connecting on the chance as he slid through.

Croatia bounced back with another great chance in the 26th minute when Bruno Petković was played through on goal. But the Dinamo Zagreb striker opted not to shoot as Andrej Kramarić was open down the right wing, but Petković’s pass was blocked and the chance fizzled out.

Two minutes later, Perišić’s flick-on nearly found Kramarić at the back post as the teams traded quality chances.

Japan put together a beautiful team play at the edge of the area with Maeda leading the charge with clinical one-two play by the corner flag. But Daichi Kamada just sent the subsequent chance over the bar in the 40th minute.

The Samurai Blue took the lead in the 44th minute when Ritsu Doan sent in a dangerous cross that found Maya Yoshida, who passed the chance across goal Maeda who swept in the chance for the 1–0 lead.

Croatia continued to turn the tables on Japan and nearly had a second if it wasn’t for a tremendous save from Gonda. In the 63rd minute, Luka Modrić sent a picture-perfect volley toward goal that seemed destined for the top corner, but Gonda read it and stretched to make a brilliant stop.

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