Japan “folded” towards Croatia in a second of World Cup heartbreak on Tuesday morning.
Japan regarded a group that would match it with the perfect groups on the planet for 120 minutes, however are leaving Qatar with the world laughing at them.
For the third time in 4 years Croatia triumphed in a World Cup penalty shoot-out, however the first penalties taken recommend it was a case of Japan shedding it greater than Croatia successful it.
Keeper Dominik Livakovic was the hero, whereas a few of Japan’s heroes have been abruptly left trying very human.
Livakovic made three saves from 4 penalties and two of them have been gift-wrapped for him when Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino didn’t strike the ball with any energy or accuracy.
With Croatia main 2-0 after three makes an attempt every, it was throughout when Maya Yoshida additionally struck a comparatively poor penalty and Mario Pasalic slotted the winner.
English soccer legend Alan Shearer was scathing of Japan’s efficiency within the shootout.
“The experience told in the end,” he informed the BBC.
“The guys who have done it before know what it’s like to be under pressure in that situation. They handled it so much better, you could tell that.
“It was so frustrating from a Japanese point of view, it was like they have never practised penalties, it looked that way. It was too big for them.
The Japan penalty takers looked so casual. All three of them, I don’t think any of them struck them as hard as they wanted to.”
Socceroos nice Craig Foster was additionally mentioned Japan didn’t take care of the strain.
“Japan folded in the big moment,” Foster mentioned on SBS.
“It meant so much for them to make that quarter-final. Minamino’s penalty was really poor to get it started. Mitoma, a young player, very poor penalty. Yoshida is not quite as bad, it was heading in the corner but Livakovic made brilliant saves. The other two he didn’t need to do too much. The first penalty was absolutely shocking.”
Another World Cup broadcaster known as it “horrific”.
“Terrible way to lose for the Japanese players,” Mark Bosnich mentioned post-game on SBS.
“Wasn’t the best of days for Croatia but they stayed in the fight, got a goal out of nowhere. What wonderful resilience, what wonderful fight.”
Japan scored simply earlier than half time, however Croatia got here again early within the second half with a purpose from Ivan Perisic levelling the rating.
Japan’s ache on the finish of the match made for some extraordinary pictures.
Croatia now face both Brazil or South Korea within the final eight and continued midfield icon Luka Modric’s keep at his fourth and certain closing World Cup.
“They gave us a hard game, but we knew that would be the case, it’s not coincidence that they beat Germany and Spain,” mentioned Nikola Vlasic.
“We had more chances and I think we deserved to win.”
Japan’s bid to achieve the final eight for the primary time of their historical past got here to a crushing finish after one other show of the kind which noticed them prime Group E.
However they might not declare yet one more huge European scalp within the form of the 2018 finalists and go dwelling within the second spherical, as they did 4 years in the past.
“The players showed us the future, a new era of Japanese football,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu mentioned.
“We beat Germany, we beat Spain… If we take confidence in that, and if we think about overtaking these teams rather than just catching up, the future is bright.”
— with AFP
Originally printed as ‘Absolutely shocking’: Japan falls aside in World Cup distress
