4-1 Victory of Brazil Over South Korea

Japan Vs Croatia 1-3 Penalties: FIFA WC '22

Yes Croatia beat Japan 3-1 on penalties after the game finished 1-1 at the end of extra time. Daizen Maeda put Japan ahead then Ivan Perisic equalized for Croatia, and with neither side able to score again they went to penalties, Dominik Livakovic’s three saves making him the hero.

Farewell Samurai Blue. Japan have enriched the World Cup with stunning comebacks against old champions, indefatigable spirit and a passionate desire to upset the football hierarchy, but the formidable weight of history proved too great in Qatar. Their own, and Croatia’s.

History repeated itself in this last‑16 tie as Croatia prevailed in a penalty shootout after extra time. As they do. Six of their past seven knockout games at major tournaments have lasted 120 minutes, with the exception of defeat against France in the 2018 World Cup final, and the smallest country left in the competition are defying the odds yet again. Japan exited agonizingly short of a first ever quarter-final appearance. As they do.

Four times Japan have reached the last 16 and four times they have tasted defeat, twice on penalties. Hajime Moriyasu’s team were showered with praise after defeating Germany and Spain to top a difficult group but, facing their own fans and a chance to break new ground in the shootout, they froze.

The goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was the Croatia hero with three saves from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and the captain, Maya Yoshida, each penalty struck low and without conviction. Moriyasu and his Croatia counterpart Zlatko Dalic understandably singled out the Dinamo Zagreb keeper as the contest’s defining influence but Livakovic put it best himself.

The game had penalties written all over it long before the painful reality arrived for Japan. After a 1-1 draw Japan lost on penalties 1-3.

In the next match Brazil 4-1 South Korea: World Cup 2022 last 16

Brazil dismantled South Korea to dance into the World Cup quarter-finals. It was a still and sultry night in Qatar’s capital: the grass a little greasy to the touch, the stadium bouncing and jiving, the football from a brighter and less troubled world. And there were times when watching Brazil’s symphonic demolition of South Korea when it was briefly possible to leave behind earthly cares, partake of the simpler pleasures in life, lose oneself in the pure, riotous joy of football.

Vinicius Junior, Neymar, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta all scored first-half goals, with Paik Seung-ho pulling one back for a beleaguered South Korea late on.

Brazil really were that good. They were sensational in the first half, then eased their way through the second, energy conservation very much in mind. For the first 40 minutes, as they waltzed and wove their way to a four‑goal lead, they played the sort of football we have not seen from them for many years: special-effects football, computer-game football, football so filthy you needed a cigarette and a shower after watching it.

For 40 minutes Neymar and Richarlison and Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior and Lucas Paquetá blazed little triangles, quadrilaterals, shapes that didn’t have a name yet, shapes embroidered and gilded with wicked flicks and outrageous stepovers, crowned with the choreographed dances they have been preparing for months in advance.

After their victory, Brazil’s players carried a banner bearing Pele’s name onto the pitch in support of the 82-year-old football icon, who remains in hospital in Sao Paulo.

This is all for the day about the FIFA World Cup 2022 as of now. The tournament favourites Brazil will play Croatia in the quarter-finals on Friday!!!