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Key occasions
19 min: Kovacic cuts in from the left and has a dig from distance. Blocked. Croatia are the higher facet proper now, whereas Brazil are struggling to make passes within the opposition half stick.
17 min: Brazil cross it across the again, although they’re getting severely hassled by the Croatian press. And there’s Croatia supposedly previous and knackered. In the meantime right here’s Kári Tulinius, who has an extended MBM reminiscence stretching again to the final entry of this one: “Although your astute prediction on the finish of the 2010 World Cup that Brazil would implode in 2014 proved spectacularly true, I feel that this yr’s workforce is much much less consumed by its personal sense of future. In the event that they lose as we speak, which they may, it gained’t be as a result of they’re so excessive on their very own provide that they stagger round their very own field like folks thrown out of a nightclub for passing out in the bathroom.”
15 min: … however Brazil don’t clear their heads. Alisson tries to ship his workforce on the counter, however his roll-out to Casemiro places his mate in trouble. Modric nips in, then crosses from the correct. Militao heads clear. Brazil aren’t precisely rattled, however they haven’t began effectively.
14 min: Croatia are on high, and now win a nook down the left. Richarlison heads it clear powerfully to permit Brazil to collect themselves.
12 min: Juranovic steams down the inside-right channel earlier than slipping Pasalic into house on the overlap. Pasalic whistles a low cross via the six-yard field. Juranovic, who had continues his run, flashes at contemporary air, then so does Perisic. An enormous likelihood for each Croatians there.
10 min: Raphinha drops a shoulder to skip previous Sosa on the correct. He reaches the byline and cuts the ball again … however he’s run it out of play. Purpose kick. Each groups are in a energetic temper, and why not, it’s the quarter-finals of the World Cup in any case.
9 min: Perisic crosses from the left. There’s no person within the centre to take benefit. However Croatia are having some pleasure down the wings throughout these early exchanges.
7 min: Juranovic crosses from a deep place on the correct. Perisic competes for a header on the far submit, however Militao wins a hard-fought contest, and it’s a free kick for Brazil. Talking of placing it about, right here’s Justin Kavanagh: “Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon, and South Korea are all stable sufficient groups within the second tier of world soccer. However Brazil begin to step out towards the elite as we speak and we should always uncover in the event that they belong up there with the greats of 58, 70, and 82. As Roy Keane may say, time to steel-tip these dancing sneakers, boys.”
5 min: The primary shot in anger, and it’s an honest one. Vinicius Junior cuts in from the left and makes an attempt to discover a team-mate. His cross rebounds again to him. He opts to shoot as a substitute, curling for the highest proper. It’s on the right track, however not hit firmly and a straightforward declare for Livakovic. Lovren then passes out carelessly from the again, permitting Raphinha to intercept and almost discover Vinicius Junior on the sting of the field. Purpose kick.
3 min: Kovacic dribbles down the left and attracts a free kick from Casemiro. An opportunity for Croatia to place one into the field, however Brozovic can’t handle it. Nonetheless, there’s an early signal that the 2018 finalists haven’t come right here to easily defend.
2 min: Brazil have misplaced 5 successive knockout matches on the World Cup towards European opposition. Some type of dramatic early assertion wouldn’t go amiss. They don’t make one, although. Talking of which, right here’s Joe Pearson: “So it’s an ex-Merseyside derby, is it? I assume meaning Brazil ought to put together to play with ten, after Richarlison will get despatched off for leaving a two-footer in on Lovren.”
Croatia get the ball rolling. A reminder that if these guys can’t type themselves out in 90 minutes, we’ll be going to additional time and presumably penalty kicks. A semi-final towards both the Netherlands or Argentina awaits!
The groups are out! Brazil are of their iconic yellow shirts, whereas Croatia put on their equally distinctive red-and-white checkerboard tops. We’ll be off as soon as anthems have been carried out, cash tossed and palms clasped.
A reminder of how these two groups bought right here … by way of the mediums of match report, music and motion.
The results of the match is already in. Ritinha, a shark incarcerated in some aquarium or different in Rio, has reportedly plumped for the contents of a meals bottle with a Brazilian flag on it, cocking a snook on the one emblazoned with signifiers of Croatia. Congratulations to Brazil for making the semi-final!
Admittedly this straight contradicts the prediction made by Kent, a gibbon at Zagreb Zoo, who bought tucked into the open Croatian meals field wafted below his hungry face. What might all of it imply? Undecided if another species had been consulted: for the document, Paul the Octopus died in 2010, whereas Triumph the Insult Comedian Canine was unavailable.
Croatia make two adjustments to the beginning XI named for the win over Japan. Borna Sosa returns from sickness, changing Borna Barisic, whereas ahead Bruno Petkovic is sacrificed for extra midfield power in Mario Pasalic.
Brazil identify an unchanged line-up. First-choice left again Alex Sandro nonetheless hasn’t totally recovered from a hip harm and stays on the bench. Danilo will as soon as once more transfer throughout from proper again to face in, with Eder Militao protecting in flip.
The groups
Croatia: Livakovic, Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic.
Subs: Stanisic, Barisic, Erlic, Majer, Grbic, Vlasic, Livaja, Petkovic, Budimir, Orsic, Vida, Ivusic, Sutalo, Sucic, Jakic.
Brazil: Alisson, Eder Militao, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Danilo, Lucas Paqueta, Casemiro, Raphinha, Neymar, Vinicius Junior, Richarlison.
Subs: Alex Sandro, Fred, Weverton, Dani Alves, Fabinho, Bruno Guimaraes, Antony, Rodrygo, Everton Ribeiro, Ederson, Bremer, Pedro, Martinelli.
Referee: Michael Oliver (England).
Preamble
Brazil have solely met Croatia twice on the World Cup, and it’s not solely clear what historical past teaches us. The underside line is that the Seleção have gained each matches, 1-0 in 2006, 3-1 within the opening match of 2014. However on each events the Croatians made the five-time champions work. Kaka’s roller determined the previous match, however Dado Prso, Ivan Klasnic, Marko Babic and Igor Tudor all went shut; eight years later, hosts Brazil required a controversial second-half penalty for some non-contact Dejan Lovren-near-Fred motion to show a sport that seemed set for a draw. No definitive solutions there … although Brazil misplaced their first-ever World Cup sport 2-1 to Yugoslavia in 1930, drew 1-1 with them in 1954 and 0-0 in 1974, and beat them 2-0 in a crunch match in 1950, Yugoslav captain Rajko Mitic lacking the beginning after cracking his head open on an uncovered girder within the still-half-finished Maracana. Do any of these distant recollections of a former lifestyle assist any? Nearly actually not.
Maybe extra up-to-date evaluation will assist us? Within the spherical of 16, Croatia had been extra resilient than spectacular in maintaining with a superior Japan, then holding their nerve higher in a penalty shoot-out. Brazil in contrast had been juggling the ball round towards South Korea prefer it was the Pelé-Garrincha period yet again. Nonetheless have a look at it one other method: Croatia could be a superannuated bunch out for one final hurrah, however they had been finalists final time spherical and know the way to grind their method via a match. And whereas Brazil play like Brazil, additionally they must be Brazil, with all of the concomitant expectation, stress, weight of historical past, and so forth. Hmm. Nonetheless nothing definitive.
So each groups will, in very alternative ways, and for very completely different causes, fancy their possibilities this afternoon. Brazil are sturdy favourites to progress to a semi-final towards the Netherlands or Argentina … however whereas their assault is flying, Alisson needed to make three huge saves on Monday evening and Croatia could not allow them to get away with that type of defensive profligacy once more. It’s going to be a complete load of enjoyable watching this unfold, and it might go to extra-time and penalty kicks. Kick off is at 3pm GMT, 6pm on the Training Metropolis Stadium in Al Rayyan. انه يحدث! It’s on!
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