Croatia wins 4-3 on penalties

Ivan Rakitic scored the decisive blow when Croatia beat Russia 4-3 on penalties to establish a final meeting with England.

After a 2-2 overtime, both teams had to go through another penalty shoot-out with Fedor Smolov and Mario Fernand Russia's World Cup performance ended Saturday night in Sochi.

Denis Cheryshev scored a goal in the semifinal before Andrej Kramaric took the lead. Croatia took the advantage in the 100th minute when Domagoj Vida's head passed Igor Akinfeev

However, the hosts equalized five minutes before the end of the additional time through Fernandes but on the side of Stanislav Cherchesov. They were unable to continue their heroic success over Spain and left the tournament in front of a lively local crowd.

In the 31st minute, Cheryshev produced one of his finest goals at the World Cup with a shot from the left box that sailed into the top corner beyond a Danijel Subasic defenseless.

Russia's head lasted barely eight minutes while a lack of concentration allowed Mario Mandzukic to drift into the penalty box He then managed to take back the advantage of Kramaric, who shot from the head of the surface six meters.

In a very competitive second period, chances were very rare

. Ivan Perisic saw his shot hit the inside of the post. Zlatko Dalic players started to control the game at the hour of play.

And they got their reward in the first half of overtime when Vida rose the highest to take the lead in the game. a corner of Luka Modric. But five minutes from the end, Russia equalized dramatically, Fernandes getting a free kick from Alan Dzagoev's free kick to lead the match to a second penalty shoot-out for both teams

.

Akinfeev responded by moving Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) away from his second against Mateo Kovacic

Sergei Ignashevich and Dzagoev both converted for the hosts while Fernandes opened the scoring for Modric, Vida and Rakitic, the midfielder. Barcelona field. scored to spark scenes of jubilation similar to those of his previous victory in the shoot-off against Denmark.

England, who reached the semifinals of the World Cup for the first time in 28 years after a 2-0 win over Sweden

The two teams will meet in Moscow on Wednesday at 19:00 and the winners will face France or Belgium in the World Cup final on July 15th.

Match Stat – Croatia is only the second team to win two shots on goal at a single World Cup tournament – the other being the only one. 39: Argentina in 1990.

Man of the match – Ivan Rakitic

Russia XI – Akinfeev, Fernandez, Ignashevich, Kutepov, Kudryashov, Kuzyaev, Zobnin, Samedov, Cheryshev , Golovin, Dzyuba

Subscribers – Yerokhin (54), Smolov (67), Gazinskiy (79), Dzagoev (102)

Croatia XI – Subasic, Vrsaljko, Lovren, Strinic, Vida, Modric, Rebique, Rakitic, Kramari, Perisic, Mandzukic

Abyss – Brozovic (63), Pivaric (74), Kovacic (88), Corluka (97) [19659006] Arbitrator – Sandro Meira Ricci [19659029]