Well then, as that went on longer than expected, we are now just an hour away from Brazil vs South Korea, which we will be covering. Big news. Neymar starts.
Check out our match report from this game, and we will see you for the next game.
Japan 1-1 Croatia (1-3 AET)
Ah, that's heartbreak for Japan. They played so well for 120 minutes, battled so hard and really put Croatia under pressure, especially for the first 45 minutes. But they really did crumble in that penalty shootout. Three of their penalties were truly woeful, with no power in them whatsoever. The pressure must have got to them, with history staring them in the face. But they did have a fantastic tournament, beating Spain and Germany and topping their group. It's a shame it had to end that way, but they should be proud.
Croatia weren't great, and even with an improved second half, they weren't that impressive. But they got the job done, as they always seem to do in knockout matches in the last few years. They're a proper tournament team, and know how to grind our results. But they will unquestionably have to be better if they want to get through Brazil (potentially) next.
Penalties
Japan 1-3: PASALIC SCORES! CROATIA ARE THROUGH! THEY ARE INTO THE QUARTER FINALS. HEARTBREAK FOR JAPAN.
Japan 1-2 Croatia: YOSHIDA MISSES. WHAT A POOR PENALTY SHOOT OUT. AGAIN, A WEAK PENALTY AND SAVED BY THE KEEPER.
Japan 1-2 Croatia: HOPE FOR JAPAN. POOR PENALTY FROM LIVAJA. He walked up and took it really nonchalantly, but hit the post.
Japan 1-2 Croatia: Asano slots it home, to finally score for Japan. But they are well behind the eight-ball.
Japan 0-2 Croatia: So, so cool from Brozovic. Puts it down the middle with ease.
Japan 0-1: OH NO, MITOMA MISSES. Another horribly weak penalty.
Japan 0-1 Croatia: VLASIC THUMPS HOME. Emphatic.
Japan 0-0 Croatia: MINAMINO MISSES. Utterly awful penalty. No pace, no power, not in the corner at all. Livakovic saves comfortably
Ok, Japan are taking it first. Let's go.
Extra Time
122': And here we are. It is penalties after a really drab and cagey 30 minutes. How will both sides fare? History is on the line here for Japan. Utterly nerve-wracking for all players involved.
121': Ooooooh, was that Croatia's big chance? Majer snatches a shot wide of the post from the edge of the area, but he had some time to line it up.
112': This is very much a typically dull ET. Not much happening, not much energy, both sides scared to concede at such a crucial time.
105': The second half of ET begins.
105': Half time in extra time. Pretty cagey and scrappy, besides that little burst from Japan at the end.
A number of subs at the half way mark. Perisic and Boudimir - who came on as a sub - are off, Marko Livaja and Mislav Orsic are on.
Japan bring on Ao Tanaka for Morita.
104': Mitoma's thunderous shot is saved by the keeper! The first real chance in ages, Mitoma drives through Croatia and smashes a shot straight at Livakovic, who can only punch away.
98': Very conservative start to ET. Modric and Kovacic are coming off. Lovro Majer and Nikola Vlasic are on. Clearly they need fresh legs, and at 37, you can't blame Modric for being tired. Bold subs regardless.
90': It begins. Japan are potentially 30 minutes away from winning their first ever knockout match, but Croatia are notoriously good in ET.
Japan 1-1 Croatia
Right then, extra time. Both teams definitely became a lot tenser in the last 15 minutes, especially Japan. Croatia were better in the second half, and will be feeling confident going into these extra 30 minutes. Incredibly, six of their last seven knockout games have gone to ET, stretching back to 1998. They have won on every occasion. The only time it didn't go to ET was that World Cup final in 2018.
Second Half
94': And that is the end of the 90 minutes. We are going to extra time. First time this World Cup.
92': Two minutes left of added time. Looks like it is going to extra time.
87': Takumi Minamino is coming on for Japan with three minutes left of normal time. Doan is off.
85': The momentum stats show that following a first half where Japan had their fair share of possession, Croatia have undoubtedly had more control of the game in this second half.
83': The tempo has definitely slowed down a lot in the last ten. Clearly a lot of tension in the air with extra time approaching.
81': Why didn't he hit it?! Tomiyasu finds some space in the penalty area, and instead of hitting it low and hard at goal, he opts to play a ball into the box, but Croatia clear easily.
78': Perisic is Croatia's most dangerous player. Yoshida gives the ball away, and Perisic drives at the Japan defence, but his deflected shot whizzes wide of the post.
75': A substitution for Japan. Kamada is off. Hiroki Sakai on.
68': Kramaric comes off for Croatia, Mario Pasalic comes on.
67': Oh no, that's a bad miss. Substitute Budimir has a totally free header in the box, but scuffs it wide. Japan need to ride this wave of Croatian pressure.
65': Japan make two subs. Nagatomo and the goalscorer Maeda come off, Kaoru Mitoma and Takuma Asano are on.
64': That's a superb save from Gonda. Modric's shot from range is saved really well by the keeper.
62': Japan don't look to be too demoralised, and are still playing with the same vigour that they did in the first half. But Croatia are also looking a lot more confident. Perfect recipe for hopefully an excellent second half.
Croatia make a change. Petkovic, who has been really poor, is off. Ante Budimir is on.
58': Endo fires a shot from long range, and Livakovic is forced to tip over. Good effort.
56': OH THAT IS A BRILLIANT HEADER! PERISIC! HE GUIDED THAT WITH SUCH PACE AND POWER MARVELLOUSLY! Frankly, it came out of nothing. It was a quiet start to the second half, but Juranovic whipped in a lovely cross, and Perisic drove his header from some distance into the bottom corner. Game on. 1-1.
45': And the second half is underway. Can Japan hang on to reach their first ever World Cup quarter-final, or will Croatia find a path back into this match?
Half Time
Excellent, excellent half from Japan. They've played with pace and intensity, and completely overrun Croatia. A lot of their attacks have come from the wings, and their crossing has been superb. Perhaps lacking a bit of end product at times, that wasn't the case in the 43rd minute as Maeda opened the scoring. He works his socks off, and it was great to see him on the scoresheet.
Croatia have been ponderous, lethargic, lazy, sluggish - pretty much every other negative adjective you want to use. Besides a few chances that came from Japanese mistakes, they haven't really been able to conjure up anything. Modric has been surprisingly sloppy in midfield. They will need to up their energy levels in the second half.
First Half
47': And that is half time. A superb half of football from Japan. Croatia need to find a way to turn this around.
43': GOAL! IT WAS COMING. JAPAN HAVE FULLY DESERVED IT! Wait, VAR is taking a look at a potential offside. IT'S BEEN GIVEN. MAEDA HAS SCORED! THEY HAVE BEEN SUPERB ALL GAME, AND THE ENERGETIC MAEDA THUMPS THE BALL HOME AFTER ANOTHER CROSS INTO THE BOX FROM THE RIGHT WING. 1-0.
41': Now that's just scintillating football. My word, if only Japan had scored that. After some clever, intricate football on the edge of the box, Kamada's shot is put over the bar. He could have done better. Would have been an excellent goal. They are all over the Croatians, their energy is too much for them.
35': Japan are playing really well, with the majority of their attacks coming from the right flank. Ito has been a real livewire so far.
29': Better, much better from the Croatians. A number of crosses are put into the box, with a Perisic header inches away from falling to Kramaric, who would have had an easy chance to score. Clearly trying to up the pressure a bit.
26': Oh that's just so poor from Petkovic. Gvardiol drives a long ball through the heart of Japan's defence, which finds the forward in a great position past the Japanese defence. Kramaric is crying out for the pass, completely unmarked and waiting for the ball to be squared to him for a tap in. Petkovic decided not to, and loses the ball. I would be furious if I was Kramaric.
23': Croatia are looking quite laboured in possession. Besides that Tomiyasu mistake, they're struggling to get anything going.
21': Ito is causing Barisic all sorts of problems on the right. He is simply unable to handle his electrifying pace. Ito's final ball has been good too on a number of occasions, but no one is gambling and making runs into the danger areas.
12': No one can get onto the end of a lovely ball into the penalty area by Ito, which was just begging to be put into the net by a Japanese forward. Really lively start to this game.
8': And now a massive chance spurned from Croatia. Tomiyasu gives the ball away poorly to Perisic on the left flank, and the winger runs down at goal, but never seems confident in shooting. His shot is tame and saved comfortably by the keeper, and Japan get away with one there. Tomiyasu breathes a sigh if relief.
3': Huge early chance for Japan goes begging. A gorgeous cross is whipped in, and Taniguchi's header goes just wide of the post. Really should have been burying that. It's a good, bright start from the Japanese.
0': And here we go. Croatia get the game underway.
Team News
Japan make three changes to their side, with Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ritsu Doan and Wataru Endo all starting. Takefusa Kubo, Ao Tanaka and Ko Itakura miss out - the latter is suspended.
Croatia make two changes. Borna Barisic and Bruno Petkovic both start, with Marko Livaja dropping to the bench, while Borna Sosa is unwell.
Japan - Gonda; Tomiyasu, Yoshida, Taniguchi; Ito, Endo, Morita, Nagatomo; Doan, Maeda, Kamada.
Croatia - Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Barisic; Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic; Kramaric, Petkovic, Perisic.
Introduction
We are halfway through finding out who all our quarter-finalists will be at the World Cup, and this afternoon, Japan and Croatia will be looking to join the likes of England and France in securing their places amongst the world's elite sides.
Japan have had a stunning campaign, beating Spain and Germany to improbably finish top of their group. Croatia haven't been fully convincing, but know their midfield quality is as good as it gets. Despite their underdog status, there is no doubt about it, Japan have a huge chance of breaking their duck and reaching their first ever World Cup quarter-final. And we will be here to provide you with live text coverage of this contest.
