Players.bio is a large online platform sharing the best live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, Golf, Rugby, Cricket, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, plus the latest sports news, transfers & scores. Exclusive interviews, fresh photos and videos, breaking news. Stay tuned to know everything you wish about your favorite stars 24/7. Check our daily updates and make sure you don't miss anything about celebrities' lives.

Contacts

  • Owner: SNOWLAND s.r.o.
  • Registration certificate 06691200
  • 16200, Na okraji 381/41, Veleslavín, 162 00 Praha 6
  • Czech Republic

Dominik Livakovic stars in shootout as Croatia progress past Japan

Dominik Livakovic saved three penalties to send 2018 finalists Croatia into the World Cup quarter-finals and inflict more knockout heartbreak on Japan.

Having never before reached the last eight of the competition, Japan fell at the same stage as they did in 2002, 2012 and 2018, losing 3-1 in a shootout following a 1-1 draw.

Celtic striker Daizen Maeda had put Japan in front just before half-time, only for Ivan Perisic to level with a fine header.

Four years ago they suffered a last-gasp loss to Belgium, having held a two-goal lead, and here at Al Janoub Stadium Japan saw their quarter-final ambitions go up in smoke following a string of dreadful penalties.

Livakovic saved tame efforts from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida as Croatia squeezed through.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, making his first start of the finals, tussled with Perisic in the early stages and his back pass was intercepted by the Tottenham man, but Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda was equal to his strike.

Perisic's header across goal was almost scrambled over the line by Andrej Kramaric, but the Japanese defence managed to clear away as their own sporadic bursts forward continued to peter out.

Daichi Kamada could only fire well wide when played in by Wataru Endo, but moments later they hit the front.

We need your consent to load this comcast-player contentWe use comcast-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences

A short corner routine led to Ritsu Doan crossing to the back post, where a couple of ricochets saw the ball land at the feet of Maeda, who made no mistake from close range.

The goal stood following a VAR check

Read more on rte.ie