AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Neymar is once more going house and not using a World Cup title. Luka Modric’s quest continues unabated.
Modric transformed one of many penalties as Croatia knocked Brazil out of the World Cup on Friday, beating the five-time champions 4-2 in a shootout to achieve the semifinals for the second straight time.
Neymar tied Pele’s report for many objectives for the nationwide crew, giving Brazil the lead in further time. However he wasn’t among the many 4 Brazilian gamers to take a penalty within the shootout, as an alternative diminished to tears on the sphere at Training Metropolis Stadium whereas the red-and-white clad Croatians celebrated.
Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved the penalty first try by Rodrygo and Marquinhos later hit the submit. Livakovic had already produced some key stops because the groups drew 0-0 in regulation and 1-1 in further time.
“We’re raised as fighters, giving our greatest,” Livakovic mentioned. ”And that’s the recipe for fulfillment.”
5 of Croatia’s final six matches at World Cups have gone to further time, together with its penalty shootout win over Japan within the spherical of 16 in Qatar. The crew has been profitable in eight of its final 10 knockout matches on the match.
Croatia got here from behind in each sport of the knockout stage in 2018, and once more within the two elimination matches it has performed in Qatar.
“We’ve got a robust character and we don’t quit,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic mentioned. “We have been ready for all the things right now. We knew that as the sport unfolded, our probabilities improved.”
Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer and Mislav Orsic additionally transformed their penalties for Croatia, whereas Casemiro and Pedro scored for Brazil.
Each objectives got here within the extra half-hour, first with Neymar scoring late within the first half of additional time to offer Brazil the lead, after which with Bruno Petkovic equalizing within the 117th.
Neymar’s objective moved him right into a tie with Pelé as Brazil’s all-time main scorer with 77 objectives, however the ahead once more fell wanting successful a serious title with Brazil and needed to be consoled by veteran defender Dani Alves as he cried after the match.
Croatia will subsequent face both Argentina or the Netherlands to attempt to return to the World Cup closing 4 years after shedding the title to France.
Brazil was seeking to attain the semifinals for the primary time since 2014. The crew hadn’t made it that far since internet hosting the match eight years in the past, when the Selecao was embarrassed by Germany 7-1.
Brazil was attempting to defeat a European opponent within the knockout stage of the World Cup for the primary time for the reason that 2002 closing in opposition to Germany, when the crew received for the final time.
Neither Neymar nor Modric may do a lot to offer their groups important probabilities early on, as each groups performed cautiously in assault and protection. Brazil was higher after halftime and got here nearer to scoring.
Neymar, beginning for the second sport in a row after recovering from an ankle harm sustained in Brazil’s opening match, had a few of his crew’s finest alternatives, together with a pair close-range makes an attempt saved by Livakovic.
“He was the distinction on very essential moments,” Dalic mentioned of his goalkeeper. “He was there to avoid wasting us.”
Neymar scored his milestone objective after dribbling previous Livakovic inside the realm and sending a shot into the highest of the web. Brazil was a couple of minutes from victory when Petkovic scored with a left-footed shot that deflected off Marquinhos earlier than getting previous Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
TITE’S DEPARTURE
It was probably Brazil’s final match underneath coach Tite, who had mentioned earlier than the World Cup started that he was not going to stick with the nationwide crew.
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AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports