2022 World Cup: Croatia in quarterfinals thanks to great performance by their goalkeeper

The finalists of the 2018 World Cup had to wait for the shots to the goal to take the best on Japan (1-1, 3-1 at T.A.B.), based on Dominik Livakovic.

By Clément MARTEL (al-Wakrah, Qatar, Special Envoy)

A priori, Dominik Livakovic did not take the anxiety of the goalkeeper at the time of the penalty (1970), by Peter Handke, as a bedside book in Qatar. The Goal of the Croatian team did not, in fact, showed the slightest emotion when tackling the first shooting session at the goal of the World Cup on Monday, December 5, against Japan. Minamino’s first shot? Arrested an authoritarian dive. The second of Mitoma? The Croatian goalkeeper relaxes and blocks the ball. If Asano manages to deceive the Vatreni wall, the latter has completed his work by stopping the last Japanese shot. Worn by his porter, Croatia has been dispatched from the Japanese trap, and qualifies for the quarter-finals of the World Cup (1-1, 3-1 in T.A.B.).

“Our goalkeeper was exceptional”, welcomed Croatian coach Zladko Dalic after the meeting. Before Livakovic, logically designated man of the match,

“a battle of nerves”

Monday, in the Al-Janoub stadium in Al-Wakrah, in southern Qatar, Luka Modric’s teammates resumed their (good or bad) habit of extending the meetings beyond regulation time. Opposed to uninhibited Japanese and volunteers who beat Germany and then Spain in the group phase, the Vatreni did not develop a brilliant game. “It was a difficult match and we did not manage to be dominant, especially in the middle of the field, recognized coach Zlatko Dalic. But because Japan delivered a big match.”

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/Media reports cited above.