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TEHRAN, July 08 -Croatia provided a dagger to the hearts of Russia with a dramatic penalty shootout win in their quarterfinal in Sochi to bring an end to the hosts’ heroic run in their home World Cup.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -Croatia provided a dagger to the hearts of Russia with a dramatic penalty shootout win in their quarterfinal in Sochi to bring an end to the hosts’ heroic run in their home World Cup.
Russia opened the scoring on the country’s Black Sea coast at Fisht Olympic Stadium with a corker from top scorer Denis Cheryshev. That strike was canceled out eight minutes later by a Andrej Kramaric header.
Neither side could find a breakthrough within 90 minutes, which meant both sides were forced into extra time for the second time in their two knockout games. A Vedran Corluka goal put Croatia in front in the first half of extra time before Mario Fernandes levelled in the second.
That meant penalties would decide the match, with Croatia running out winners and setting up a date with England at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Sochi is almost an absurd place to hold a football match, let alone a World Cup quarter final. Nestled into the fringes of the Black Sea coast, the town is a popular domestic resort for Russians, many of whom seemed to view the the biggest match of their country’s history as coincidental.
As the day wore on and the match beckoned, pockets of tourists and families carrying buckets and spades were replaced by bodies wrapped in Russia tricolors and red and white chequered flags singing together.
After the majority of them had watched England make their way past Sweden 2-0 in the day’s other quarterfinal in Samara, and traipsed to Fisht Olympic Stadium, a beacon of Sochi 2014 legacy situated a pebble-throw from the beach, knowing a date with The Three Lions in Moscow awaited should they win.
Given what was at stake, there was early show of nerves by either side when play got underway on a balmy summer evening. Igor Akinfeev was more than once called into action in the opening moments and each time displayed his class that was so apparent versus Spain to keep Ante Rebic’s effort out
The first clear chance for the hosts fell to Artem Dzyuba on the volley, who cannoned a shot off Lovren’s backside from ten yards out. At the other end, Mario Mandzukic screwed a right foot shot high and wide from a similar position in the first ten or so minutes.
Ilya Kutepov brought down Rebic on the left hand edge of the area but Ivan Rakitic could only steer the ball over from the resulting free kick. Having seemingly exerted their excess adrenaline, both sides relaxed into a lull after 20 minutes.
Then came the game’s opener like a crack off thunder, the type that precedes and precipitates a storm at the end of a red hot seaside day. Russia broke forward and the ball made its way to Dzyuba, so often instrumental in link up play for Russia.
The giant forward seemed to almost accidentally touch the ball into the path of Cheryshev and with almost nowhere to go, the 26-year-old unleashed a thunderous left-footed strike into the top corner to leave Danijel Subasic rooted to the spot and demonstrating exactly why Real Madrid afforded a place in their academy to the player. First blood Russia.
Erokhin forced Subasic into a save low down to his right from range late on, but the match seemed destined to be decided other than just 22 men, and the luck of a shootout entered into the frame when the match went to penalties.
Fedor Smolov, so often the darling of Russian football, stepped up to take the first penalty but his underhit shot was saved by Subasic to immediately put the hosts on the back foot. That pressure was intensified when Brozovic netted his spot kick. Dzagoev levelled before Kovacic missed to allow Russia to pull in front.
However Mario Fernandes, the hero of extra time, dragged the ball horribly wide from 12 yards. Croatia skipper Modric the put his side in the lead when Akinfeev pushed the ball onto the post only for it to creep into the net.
Veteran defender Sergei Ignashevich netted his shot only for Domagoj Vida to do the same. Daler Kuzyaev scored Russia’s third penalty, but when Ivan Rakitic cooly slotted home Russia’s it signalled an agonizing end to Russia’s improbable dream.
Chants of “you’re great!” rang around Fisht after the final whistle. Although it was not their night, the host team had done their country proud. They had dared to dream the biggest dream and came short by just the thinnest of margins, as Croatia booked their place in the semi-final and denied Russia a dream Moscow date with England.
Source:RT
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