6 talking points as Croatia beat Japan after World Cup penalty shoot-out drama

The final World Cup game at the Al Janoub Stadium produced a tense affair, with Dominik Livakovic the hero with three saves as Croatia beat Japan in a penalty shoot-out.

Daizen Maeda broke the deadlock moments before half-time, with Japan taking advantage of a spell on top. The Celtic forward was on hand to lash home after Croatia were unable to clear a Ritsu Doan ball into the box, and it was enough to send Hajime Moriyasu's team in with a narrow lead after reaching this stage with a famous win against Spain.

Just as they looked in control, though, Ivan Perisic headed in an equaliser out of nothing to set up an exciting final 35 minutes. Livakovic produced a fingertip save to deny Wataru Endo and a desperate interception denied Marcelo Brozovic as both sides looked for the third goal of the game.

It was all square after 90 minutes, though, leading to the first extra-time period of the tournament. It was also the first game in the tournament to go to penalties, and Croatia came out on top.

An open first half had seen both teams create plenty, but there was no cutting edge from two teams with a combined two goals in first halves before this meeting. Andrej Kramaric came close to turning in an Ivan Perisic flick-on just before the half-hour, but couldn't make up the ground required to tap in at the back post.

Japan carved Croatia open five minutes before the break, but their wait for a first-half goal at this tournament continued. Daichi Kamada did everything right in the build-up, creating space for himself to threaten, but the Eintracht Frankfurt star couldn't keep his effort down.

After coming from behind to beat Spain and Germany in the group stage, Japan scored first for the first time in the tournament through Maeda. The lead didn't last long, though, with Parisic heading a deep cross into the far corner of Shuichi Gonda's net, and that's how it stayed until the 90 minutes were up.

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As the game moved into extra time, players began to look tired but chances continued to come. Kaoru Mitoma's powerful shot was beaten away by Livakovic, while Croatia looked to gain a foothold with substitutions which saw Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic sacrificed.

The shoot-out began with Takumi Minamino's effort being saved by Livakovic, with Nikola Vlasic giving Croatia an early advantage. Livakovic then saved from Mitoma and Maya Yoshida, with Croatia scoring three of their four kicks.

Next up for the winners is a meeting with either Brazil or South Korea. Here are Mirror Football 's talking points from the closest-fought knockout game of the tournament so far.

1. Croatia's goal-shy strikers

Croatia drew a blank in two of their three group games, and only some wasteful finishing from Belgium in their decider prevented Zlatko Dalic's team being punished for their woes up front. They didn't look like changing that in the first half, with an apparent disconnect between those expected to work together to get them on the scoresheet.

The longer the game went on, the more their 4-1 win over Canada looked like an outlier rather than a sign of what they can do. They were far and away the lowest scorers of the five European teams who qualified by winning six-team groups, and scored just 11 times in eight games if you remove the matches against minnows Malta - that very much showed here.

Bruno Petkovic and Andrej Kramaric both drew blanks, and neither can feel too upset to have been withdrawn early. However, with the evergreen Perisic involved, Croatia showed it's not just about the strikers.

2. Tomiyasu's Arsenal reminder

Takehiro Tomiyasu was vital for Arsenal last season but has been more of a bit-part player this time around. Suddenly, a man whose injury felt like a killer blow late last term has become just another useful option - not that this is a bad position to be in.

Tomiyasu started this tournament on the bench as well, but stepped into the starting line-up against Croatia. Much of the Europeans' struggles in the first half could be put down to the defensive solidity of a three centre-back system including the ex-Bologna man.

That hasn't been Arsenal's preferred formation of late under Mikel Arteta, but an injury to Gabriel Jesus could force them to take a different approach to certain games in the new year.

3. Perisic loves knockout football

Ivan Perisic wasn't at his best in the first-half, but it felt like a switch flicked after the break. He's a man well at home in knockout matches, and it felt like he needed to remind himself of that before growing into the game.

The Spurs man scored in the semi-final and final in 2018, and it felt like he was waiting until the knockouts to net this time around. Japan looked comfortable when he headed his team level, and then looked uncomfortable as he went close with a powerful deflected effort.

His deliveries were also dangerous, with a ball into the box almost creating a late decider for Mario Pasalic. When he made way for Mislav Orsic, though, it was a sign that manager Dalic wanted the new crop to come through.

4. Maeda wins Old Firm mini-battle

There was strong representation from the Scottish top flight in this game. Celtic and Rangers each had a representative in the Croatia defence, in he form of Josip Juranovic and Borna Barisic respectively, while the Bhoys had forward Maeda representing Japan.

The 25-year-old looked up for it early on, charging down a clearance from Croatia keeper Dominik Livakovic and almost embarrassing the stopper. He certainly didn't look like a man who had only one senior international goal to his name before the tournament.

Maeda would have liked for his goal to be the winner, but it was all square when he left the field shortly after the hour mark. Still, he seemed to come out on top in the mini-battle.

5. Modric still a threat despite retirement talk

Before the game, Dalic insisted this would not be Modric's final tournament. The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner turned 37 in September, and has sailed past the marker of 150 international caps.

"He will continue to play for Croatia, I am absolutely certain of that," Dalic said. "Luka continues to work hard and he continues to strive for self-improvement. We will need him for some time more in the future."

Modric looked less sharp than usual against Japan, with a handful of sloppy passes putting Croatia off their stride before the break. He can still threaten during poor displays, though, as evidenced when a shot from range had Gonda scrambling to save.

He wasn't given a full 120 minutes, though, making way for Lovro Majer during extra-time. The number seven is the future for Croatia, but is Modric now the past?

6. The most painful way to go

Croatia know all about games going the distance. Back in 2018, their last-16 tie went to penalties, as did their quarter-final, while they needed extra-time to beat England in the semis.

Japan suffered defeat in the last minute of regular time at this stage four years ago. They had led 2-0 against Belgium before losing to Nacer Chadli's goal on the counter-attack, but their play in extra-time looked like that of a team desperate to avoid penalties.

Neither Minamino nor Mitoma looked confident from the spot, and when Croatia made it 2-0 in the shoot-out, there was no coming back. After so much good work, Japan's dream is over.

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