By Eniola Olatunji
…..by lowly Croatia via Penalty shootout 4-2 after 1-1 of extra time.
Five times world champion, Brazil was bombed out of the 2022 world cup in the quarterfinals by penalty shootouts to Croatian in an obvious fall into a deliberate trap of the Croatians 4-2 after 1-1 at extra time.
The Croatians who deliberately focused on fitness and endurance at their trainings were obviously waiting for the moment of shootouts as a strategy to win the knockout matches.
That victory brought electric shock unto the over confident Brazilians who thought they had victory already as it made the 5th time out of 7 matches Brazil will lose their Knockout matches against European teams. This is the 14th time like Germany they were playing the quarterfinal at the world cup and been only successful in 8 of them.
Brazil did not study Croatia well. They have strenuous military training when preparing for tournaments so their endurance training was taking them into extra time at knockout stages meaning their opponents must not lose concentration until last whistle.
Croatia had been successful in seven of nine of their Knockout matches and never failed to score in nine of their knockout matches at the world cup.
A croak dribble from Neymar Junior in the quarterfinal clash almost crushed the resilient Croatian team as he scored 105th minute of the extra time but the joy was momentary as a sensational equalizer by Bruno Petkovic in the 117th minute sent the match into penalty shootouts.
Brazil was playing fanciful tiki taka football like the Shooting Stars of Ibadan were doing in Nigerian football of the 80s against Rangers International of Enugu that cared less about Fancy but goals.
Club Dinamo Goalkeeper and first choice of the Croatians, 27 year old, 1.86m tall Dominik Livakovic had saved 10 shots on target when the Brazilian Goalkeeper got good covering. Dominik conceded only three goals in five matches in Qatar the last in this quarterfinal and went ahead to save two penalty shots of the Brazilians on Friday night at the Education City Stadium in Qatar.
Croatia scored all four penalties through Nikola Vlasic; Lovra Majer; Captain fantastic who again took all the set pieces, Luka Modric and Mislav Orsic. Brazil lost the first shot through Rodrygo, Casemiro scored his; Pedro scored his and Marquinhas blew off the hope playing into the Croatian goalkeeper.
The world stood in awe, disbelief and disappointment at the loss. How are the mighty falling in Qatar? The truth and nothing but the truth is that Brazil is out of the world cup.
On paper, Brazil and Croatia are not mates. Brazil is ranked no 1 while Croatia that made their debut into the world cup in 1998 is ranked 12th. Croatia was runners-up at the last competition in Russia 2018 and won Bronze at France 98.
That cannot at all be compared to the intimidating records of Brazil, five times champions in 1958; 1962, 1970; 1994 and 2002. Brazil was runners-up twice in 1950 and 1998. Bronze Medalists 1938 and 1978 as well as 4th place holders in 1974 and when they hosted in 2014.
To get to the quarters, Croatia played goalless with Morocco; slammed Canada 4-1 and played another goalless with Belgium in the group stages to become runners-up in that Group F. Then Croatia played 1-1 after Extra time with Japan in the round of 16 before clinching it on penalties 3-1. Meaning that Croatia won two matches; drew two scored 5 goals and conceded 2 goals.
Brazil topped group G beating Serbia 2-0; piped Switzerland 1-0; but lost to Cameroon 0-1. Brazil won the group with 6 points with +2 goals difference too. Brazil mercilessly beat Asian Tigers, South Korea 4-1 in the round of 16.
Thrice both sides met all won by Brazil. On 13th June 2006 at the world cup in Germany Brazil won by a lone goal; in the controversial world cup match of 12th June 2014 in Brazil the Samba boys won 3-1 and on 3rd June in Russia 2018 Brazil won 2-0.
On Saturday at 4pm Morocco will play Portugal in the 3rd quarters while at 8pm England will meet defending Champions France. Both timings are West African Time (WAT).
Croatia will meet the winner between Portugal and Croatia on Tuesday at 8pm in the semifinal.
Eniola Olatunji reporting.
#Fifaworldcup2022.
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