Croatia on epic WC win: 'We're raised as fighters'

EDUCATION CITY, Qatar -- Croatia were capable to conflict backmost and stun Brazil successful their World Cup quarterfinal due to the fact that they person been "raised arsenic fighters," according to goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

Livakovic enactment successful a man-of-the-match show with 10 saves crossed the 120 minutes earlier besides stopping Rodrygo's punishment successful the shootout.

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Croatia needed an equaliser successful the 116th-minute to unit penalties and afterward Livakovic praised the tone shown successful securing a 2nd consecutive World Cup semifinal. "We are fighters and we played our hearts out," helium said.

"We're blessed astir it but we're playing 1 lucifer astatine a clip and we'll spot wherever it takes us. We are experienced and we are raised arsenic fighters. We spare nary effort."

After a goalless 90 minutes, Neymar gave Brazil the pb successful the other clip lone for Bruno Petkovic to people with conscionable 4 minutes remaining.

Marquinhos deed the station with the decisive spot-kick to gain different triumph connected penalties pursuing their occurrence implicit Japan successful the circular of 16.

"It's 1 of our top wins," said manager Zlatko Dalic, whose squad volition present look Argentina oregon the Netherlands successful the semifinals.

"We demonstrated what it means to ne'er surrender and demonstrated what Croatia is and what a Croatia squad is. We are a tiny state and won against 1 of the favourites astatine the World Cup.

"They are large fighters and lone Croats tin bash that. Now we're successful different semifinal and we shall not surrender. Croatia has shown thing that not galore teams tin show."

Eight of Croatia's past 9 knockout games astatine large tournaments person present gone to other clip -- a tally stretching backmost to Euro 2008.

They person won lone 1 crippled successful Qatar successful mean clip but person booked their spot successful the semifinals having reached the last successful 2018, wherever they were beaten by France.

"We person precise beardown quality and don't springiness up," Dalic said.

"I judge lone teams with large and beardown quality tin travel backmost and it's go mean for us. Strength of quality is simply a portion of our team.

"I americium rather wide that radical are being amazed by our show for a 2nd clip successful a row, it is specified a phenomenal thing.

"I wanted to walk the radical signifier and instrumentality it 1 measurement astatine a clip and we wanted to amusement patience. Now we are successful the semifinals, it is not normal.

"We person assurance successful ourselves. Croatia is simply a astonishment so but this should person go little surprising."