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Qatar: Japan have failed again to reach the last eight at a World Cup finals after being beaten in a penalty shoot-out by the 2018 finalists Croatia.
Dominik Livakovic was Croatia’s hero, saving three of Japan’s four spot-kicks.
Croatian players celebrate after deafeating Japan.Credit:AP
The goalkeeper dived left to save Takumi Minamino’s weak opening kick, then to his right to keep out another weak one from Kaoru Mitoma.
Meanwhile Nikola Vlasic and Marcelo Brozovic scored.
Takuma Asano kept Japanese hopes alive and when Marko Livaja hit the post it was 2-1 after three kicks each.
But Livakovic went right, and chose right, again, denying veteran defender Maya Yoshida.
Croatia’s goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saves a penalty kick by Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma.Credit:AP
That left Mario Pasalic with the chance to take Croatia through. He took it.
The Blue Samurai, who had been seeking to become the first Asian team to reach the last eight since South Korea in 2002, and only the second to do so on foreign soil after North Korea in 1966, had fallen at the last 16 stage for the fourth time.