Croatia delivers World Cup semi-final with England after shoot-out win | Soccer

The drama was uninterrupted but when Ivan Rakitic came forward to tackle the penalty for winning in Croatia, he found a pocket of calm. The Barcelona midfielder had been in the same position last Sunday, beating Denmark in the round of 16, and he had risen to the challenge.

He would do the same here and, in truth, he never looked doubtful. When Rakitic chose the lower corner, the joy of Croatia knew no bounds. Finally, they emulated the glory boys of France 98, who reached the semifinals, and it is they who advanced to face England in the last four.

Croatia thought they had won this quarter-final before they even made it. Domagoj Vida will not evaluate his head in overtime as the most powerful of his career, but it is surely the most valuable.

When he joined Luka Modric's corner, the ball had a long way to go. He arrived at the end. Substitute Vedran Corluka nibbled away and another substitute, Russian Fedor Smolov, was on the scene. The result was that the goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeev, saw him late and sank into the far corner

. It was simply the precursor to an extraordinary final.

At this point, it's probably worth remembering were before the start of their World Cup. Without victory in seven games, they made fun of the worst team in the history of the country. They were the least ranked side here. Nobody gave them a prayer.

But the remarkable 16 shootout victory against Spain, which followed a largely positive group-stage campaign, had ignited the belief in a seemingly impossible dream. Russia was determined to meet England in the semifinals and, even after the extra time, she refused to give up.

The equalizer of Mário Fernandes unleashed crazy scenes, with all Russian substitutes on the pitch. panels behind the goal to celebrate with him. The right back had returned from Alan Dzagoev's free kick and the momentum, at that time, was certainly with his team.

In shooting and Russia started badly when Smolov's attempt was weak and Danijel Subasic saved. When the Croatian substitute Mateo Kovacic was dismissed by Akinfeev in the second round, everything was square but there would be a horrible turn in the evening of Fernandes when he kicked the first round of the third round.

Croatia knew that the night was going to be the night Akinfeev was pushing Modric's kick inside the pole and watching him pbad from the other side of the goal. Rakitic would see them at home.

With several of their stars including Rakitic, Modric, Subasic and Mario Mandzukic on the wrong side of 30, it seems that it is now or never for this Croatian team in terms of bigger football lot. They continue to believe that it will be now.

It was hard not to feel sorry for Stanislav Cherchesov and his Russian players. They gave it all, playing with a little adventure, which had been a surprise after they approached the armored door against Spain, and they shook Croatia in the first half. Denis Cheryshev, one of the tournament's findings, had scored his fourth goal – and what a goal – but the match came back against them when Andrej Kramaric equalized just before half-time. It was a bad time to concede.

In the end, the gods of the shooting were against them but there is no doubt that the performances of this team have boosted the nation and the World Cup. Russian fans will take away precious memories. It was their first quarter-final since 1970, when they competed as a Soviet Union, but there would not have been a first semifinal since 1966.

Scouts of England will look into every detail of Croatian performance, including how Zlatko Dalic left defensive midfielder Marcelo Brozovic to start an extra attack on Kramaric. Dalic's central midfielders were Modric and Rakitic. But he would introduce Brozovic in the second half of regulation time and support Modric and Rakitic further on each side of him in a 4-3-3 formation. Croatia came to the midfield position in the second half and Modric was particularly important

Russia performed well in the first half with Aleksandr Golovin, number 10, playing as a second striker and Artem Dzyuba, center forward, a focal point and a ram. Cheryshev scored after trading pbades with Dzyuba and, from a position to the left of the center – 25 meters away – he bent a curler who started his trip outside the city. right of Subasic. hand post before fizzing inside. Subasic did not even dive. It was a beauty and the crowd at home could delight in another moment of pinch.

Croatia could have been in the lead by then. Ante Rebic, the powerful winger, sent a free header following a corner and Mandzukic took over the center of Sime Vrsaljko. They found the equalization when Mandzukic crossed and, with the defense of old-fashioned Russia, Kramaric arrived home. Briefly, there was a noise of silence.

Ivan Perisic was hitting inside the post for Croatia at the time, but Russia continued to twinkle, with substitute Aleksandr Erokhin at the head. It was a striking sight, the atmosphere throbbed, but it would be Croatia that would have felt the attraction of destiny.