Croatia beat hosts Russia 4-3 on penalties after their quarter-final encounter ended 2-2 after extra time to book their place in the semi-final of the World Cup.
Having slotted home the winning kick against Denmark in the last 16, Ivan Rakitic held his nerve to convert from the spot, with Mario Fernandes going from hero to villain by missing from 12 yards after his 115th-minute header had made it 2-2 deep into extra time.
After ending the home side’s incredible run, Zlatko Dalic’s side will aim to go one better than the famous 1998 vintage, who finished third in France, when they meet England at the Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday.
Denis Cheryshev got Russia off to a brilliant start by marking his return to the starting lineup with yet another contender for goal of the tournament after his stunning efforts against Saudi Arabia and Egypt in the group stage, but Andrej Kramaric equalised just eight minutes later.
Domagoj Vida headed Luka Modric’s corner home 10 minutes into the first extra period, only for Fernandes, the Brazil-born defender who was only granted Russia citizenship by President Vladimir Putin two years ago, to keep Russia’s hopes alive in a dramatic finish.
However, it was not to be for the resilient hosts, with goalkeeper Danijel Subasic saving Fedor Smolov’s penalty and Fernandes firing wide before Rakitic kept his composure to send Croatia through.
Croatia stymied Russia’s positive start as Russia focused on counter-attacking but Ivan Perisic glanced a header wide as Dalic’s men struggled to turn possession into clear-cut chances.
Russia punished them when Cheryshev came in from the left and, after a one-two with Artem Dzyuba, skipped away from Luka Modric and curled an exquisite 31st-minute effort beyond Subasic, who remained rooted to the spot as the ball sailed into his net.
Cherchesov’s men were unable to hold on until half-time, though, as Mario Mandzukic advanced down the left to set up the chance for an unmarked Kramaric to silence Sochi.
Croatia went agonisingly close to taking the lead for the first time on the hour, but Perisic was denied by the upright after Igor Akinfeev flapped at a lofted ball from Kramaric.
Subasic appeared to sustain a hamstring injury when stopping a deflected Aleksandr Erokhin cross for a corner, though he recovered to bat away Smolov’s drive from an acute angle in stoppage time.
An injury to Sime Vrsaljko forced Dalic to send on Vedran Corluka as his fourth substitution, though Croatia were celebrating when Vida nodded past Akinfeev.
The ailing Subasic managed to keep out Daler Kuzyaev but could do nothing as Fernandes popped up to draw his team level, converting Alan Dzagoev’s free kick after the CSKA Moscow midfielder was sent on for his first appearance since sustaining a hamstring injury in the tournament opener against Saudi Arabia.
Penalties were required and after Smolov’s feeble Panenka attempt with the first effort was foiled by Subasic, parity was restored when Akinfeev got down to his left to keep out Mateo Kovacic’s second attempt for Croatia.
After Fernandes’ failure, Modric got lucky when his strike found the opposite side of the net to that following touches off Akinfeev’s glove and the post.
The decisive penalty once again fell to Rakitic, though, and he confidently rolled the ball into the bottom-left corner to keep Croatia’s dreams of a first World Cup final alive.
Key Opta stats:
– Russia are the first host country to be eliminated at the quarter-final stage of a World Cup since Mexico in 1986.
– Denis Cheryshev scored four goals for Russia at the 2018 World Cup – only England striker Harry Kane has scored more (six).
– Croatia have now had eight different scorers at the 2018 World Cup – only Belgium (nine) have had more.
– There were three headed goals in this match – the most in a World Cup match since Germany 8-0 Saudi Arabia in 2002 (five).
– Only one of the last six World Cup matches to go to extra time has not gone to penalties – the 2014 final between Germany and Argentina.
