Russia -
Croatia repeated their greatest achievement of two decades ago by reaching the 2018 World Cup semi-finals on penalties yesterday, eliminating the host Russia, in a tournament that has already said goodbye to the South Americans.
Croatia will play against England in the semi-finals this Wednesday in Moscow, while the other match will be played a day earlier between the national teams of France and Belgium in Saint Petersburg.
The Croatian team advances in this World Cup for the second consecutive time on penalties, after eliminating Denmark in the round of 16.
In the penalty shootout, Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subasic saved Fedor Smolov's shot and Mario Fernandes sent his shot wide, leaving the hopes and dreams of the Russians of reaching the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since the dissolution of the Soviet Union hanging by a thread.
Rakitic scored the decisive penalty to give the pass to the Balkans, who equal the feat of Davor Suker's generation in 1998.
Rakitic and Modric's team almost secured the pass in extra time by taking a 2-1 lead with a goal from Domagoj Vida at 101 minutes, but 5 minutes before the end Mario Fernandes kept the hosts alive and forced the penalty shootout, which Croatia finally won.
And the battle of the Black Sea tilted towards the smallest nation that came out victorious because it counts on two world-class players like Modric and Rakitic, the brains of a team that repeats a semi-final like in France 1998.
Driven by their fans who filled the Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia tried with great will and heart, but showed their limitations.
The host leaves the tournament with a very different image from how the maximum tournament started: as the worst of the participants in the FIFA ranking and ended at a level superior to many favorites.
Whatever happens in the semi-finals, a European team will lift the Cup for the fourth consecutive time after the titles of Italy (2006), Spain (2010), and Germany (2014). South America will have to wait at least 20 years to recover the title won by Brazil with Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Cafu in 2002.
Russia - 2 (3)
Akinfeev; Fernandes, Kutepov, Ignashevich, Koudryashov; Samedov (Erokhin, 54m), Kuzyaev, Golovin (Dzagoev, 102m), Zobnin, Cheryshev (Smolov, 67m); Dzyuba (Gazinskiy, 79m).
Coach: Stanislav Cherchesov.
Croatia - 2 (4)
Subasic; Vrsaljko (Corluka, 97m), Lovren, Vida, Strinic (Pivaric, 74m); Rebic, Kramaric (Kovacic, 88m), Modric, Rakitic; Perisic (Brozovic, 63m), Mandzukic.
Coach: Zlatko Dalic.
Penalties: Russia converted by Dzagoev, Ignashevich, Kuzyaev; Croatia converted by Brozovic, Modric, Vida, Rakitic.
Referee: Sandro Ricci (Brazil). Booked Gazinskiy (109m), of Russia; Lovren (35m), Strinic (38m), Vida (101m), Pivaric (114m), of Croatia.
Incidents: Quarter-final match of the 2018 World Cup played yesterday at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi, with an attendance of 44,287 spectators.
88
Minutes
With two minutes left of the 90 regulation minutes, Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic complained of muscle pain, but then reappeared and helped his team reach the semi-finals.