Croatia advances to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over five-time champions Brazil. The match finished 0-0 in regular time, with Brazil dominating the possession and creating a number of chances, but failing to break the deadlock. The scores remained level for an additional thirty minutes of extra time, before the match was eventually decided by penalties. Neymar opened the scoring for Brazil, firing home from the spot in the 105th minute. However, Croatia responded immediately, with Bruno Petkovic equalizing just two minutes later, assisted by Mislav Orsic. The score remained 1-1 at the end of extra time, forcing a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
Croatia came out on top in the shootout, claiming a 4-2 victory and booking their place in the semi-finals. Brazil will be left to rue a missed opportunity to reach the final, having dominated the match and created a number of chances throughout the game, but ultimately failing to find the back of the net. Croatia, meanwhile, will be delighted with their victory, and will now look forward to the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the quarter-finals match between Argentina and Netherlands. With Brazil eliminated, the World Cup will now be missing its most successful nation. However, with the quarter-finals providing some exciting matches, Qatar 2022 is still proving to be an unforgettable tournament.