| Brazil vs Croatia |
|---|
| SCHEDULE | TIME |
|---|---|
| GAME | Brazil vs Croatia |
| DATE | 07/12/2022 |
| TIME | 08:30 PM (Indian Standard Time) |
| ARENA | -- |
| LEAGUE | FIFA World Cup 2022 |
| FULL TIME |
|---|
| Brazil [1-1] Croatia | Croatia Wins on Penalties |
Match Preview of Brazil vs Croatia
Brazil will endeavour to keep their hopes of lifting a record-extending sixth world title alive when they lock horns with Croatia in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup at Education City Stadium on Friday.
The Selecao sent out a statement to the rest of the tournament when they breezed past South Korea in the last 16, while the Checkered Ones were pushed all the way by Japan before edging through on penalties.
For the second successive World Cup and for the third time in their history, Croatia will be competing in the quarter-finals on the biggest international stage after beating Japan 3-1 on penalties in the last 16 on Monday.
After Ivan Perisic cancelled out a first-half strike from Daizen Maeda, the two nations were forced into extra time and then penalties, but the Checkered Ones prevailed in the shootout with goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saving three of Japan's four spot kicks to help Zlatko Dalic's side book their place in the last eight.
Croatia are no strangers to drama at the highest level of international football, as they have been taken to extra time in seven of their last eight knockout matches at major tournaments since finishing third at their first World Cup finals back in 1998.
Four of Croatia's last five knockout matches at the World Cup have gone to extra time and three of which have seen the Checkered Ones triumph on penalties – a 4-2 defeat to France in the 2018 final is the only time during this run that a knockout game involving Croatia was decided in 90 minutes.
Dalic and co are unbeaten in their last 10 internationals and have lost only one of their last 20 games across all competitions since Euro 2020, but this impressive run is set to be tested by a high-flying Brazil outfit who head into Friday's contest off the back of their best performance at this year's tournament in Qatar against South Korea.
The Brazilian flair and swagger that football fans across the globe are accustomed to when watching the five-time world champions was on show on Monday, as Tite's side sambaed their way into the quarter-finals courtesy of a 4-1 victory over South Korea in the last 16.
The Selecao raced into a four-goal lead within the first 36 minutes with Vinicius Junior, Neymar, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta all on the scoresheet, before a stunning consolation strike from Paik Seung-ho gave the South Korean supporters something to cheer in the final 15 minutes.
Richarlison had already scored a goal-of-the-tournament contender with an acrobatic effort in the group stage, but he now has another to his name after finishing off an outrageously skilful team goal that epitomises Brazilian football and proves why Tite's side have the credentials to go all the way in Qatar.
Our Predicted Lineups
Brazil possible starting lineup:Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Kovacic, Brozovic, Modric; Kramaric, Petkovic, Perisic
Croatia possible starting lineup: starting lineup:Alisson; Militao, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Danilo; Casemiro, Paqueta; Raphinha, Neymar, Vinicius Jr; Richarlison
Who will win the match?
We say: Croatia 1-2 Brazil. After comfortably dispatching South Korea in the last 16, Brazil are brimming with confidence but Friday's contest may not be a cakewalk against a nation of Croatia's calibre with their knockout-stage pedigree. Indeed, Croatia have frustrated many opponents on the biggest international stage, but a match-up with Brazil could be a step too far, and we can see the five-time world champions edging themselves through to the semi-finals in 90 minutes.