Subašić the hero against Denmark

Croatia survives late penalty drama to reach World Cup quarterfinals!

01.07.2018.

Photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS

Croatia faced Denmark in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 and managed to progress despite tough circumstances in Nizhny Novgorod.

CROATIA - DENMARK 4:3 (1:1, 1:1 - 11m)
2018 FIFA World Cup, Round of 16.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod.

Referee: N. Pitana (Argentina)

Goals: 0:1 - M. Jorgensen (1'), 1:1 - Mandžukić (4')

Penalties: Eriksen - Subašić saves, Badelj - Schmeichel saves, 1:2 - Kjaer, 2:2 - Kramarić, 2:3 - Krohn-Dehli, 3:3 - Modrić, Schöne - Subašić saves, Pivarić - Schmeichel saves, N. Jorgensen - Subašić saves, 4:3 - Rakitić

Cautions: M. Jorgensen (115')

Croatia: Subašić, Strinić (81' Pivarić), Vida, Lovren, Vrsaljko, Brozović (71' Kovačić), Rakitić, Perišić (97' Kramarić), Modrić, Rebić, Mandžukić (108' Badelj). Head coach: Z. Dalić.

Denmark: Schmeichel, Kjaer, Knudsen, Christensen (46' Schöne), M. Jorgensen, Dalsgaard, Delaney (98' Krohn-Dehli), Eriksen, Braithwaite (106' Sisto), Poulsen, Cornelius (66' N. Jorgensen). Head coach: A. Hareide.

Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

Croatia national football team secured 2018 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal berth, courtesy of a penalty shootout win over Denmark. The next challenge is scheduled for 7 July in Sochi against the host nation Russia.

The opening minutes in Nizhny Novgorod could not have been more exciting: M. Jorgensen beat Subašić from a scramble in the Croatian box with barely a minute gone, while Mandžukić equalized on four minutes, scoring from a rebound in the Danish box.

However, it was less eventful afterwards. Both team had a couple of opportunites in the first half, while in the second half the goalkeepers were called into action in the final 15 minutes. Still, neither team could find the winning move.

Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

During the extra-time, it was Denmark that created some chances, but it was Croatia with the first match-point. On 115 minutes, Modrić found Rebić, who was fouled in a clear goalscoring opportunity. Croatia captain took the spot kick, but Schmeichel saved his effort.

It all came down to the penalty shootout heroics. Croatia goalie Subašić saved three penalties (Eriksen, Schöne, N. Jorgensen), while Kramarić, Modrić, and finally Rakitić managed to score and mark the beginning of Croatia's celebrations. The World Cup dream lives on.

Congratulations!

Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

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