SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2018 19 Heartbreak for hosts Saturday July 7 RUSSIA 2 2 CROATIA Croatia edged out RussiaPenalty in a shootoutmini-epic3 4 in Sochi, and will meet England in the semi-finals 31’ Cheryshev Sochi - Fisht Stadium Kramaric 39’ | Sochi, Russia115’ Fernandes Quarter-finals Vida 101’ AFP SaturdaySaturday July 7July 7 RUSSIARUSSIA 22 22 CROATIACROATIA Saturday July 7 SaturdayRUSSIA July 7 2 2 CROATIARefereeRUSSIA 2 2 CROATIA PenaltyPenalty shootout shootout 33 44 Penalty shootout 3 4SandroPenalty Ricci shootout (BRA)3 4 van Rakitic scored the 31’winning31’ CheryshevCheryshev SochiSochi - - Fisht Fisht StadiumStadium KramaricKramaric 39’ 39’ 31’ Cheryshev115’ Fernandes31’Sochi - Fisht CheryshevStadium Quarter-finalsKramaricSochi - Fisht StadiumVida39’ Kramaric101’ 39’ penalty as Croatia115’ beat RussiaFernandes115’ 4-3Fernandes 115’Quarter-finalsFernandesQuarter-finalsVida Quarter-finals101’Vida Vida 101’ 101’ Players PossessionReferee Players in a shoot-out after a dramatic 2-2 Referee SandroReferee Ricci (BRA) Referee I Sandro Ricci (BRA)PossessionSandro Ricci (BRA)(BRA)Sandro Ricci (BRA) draw on1 SaturdayAkinfeev to (cap) end the World Cup 23 Subasic Players Possession Players hopes of the host nationPlayers and advance to PlayersPossession PossessionPlayers Players 97’ 2 Fernandes 1 AkinfeevPlayers (cap) Possession 23 Subasic2 VrsaljkoPlayers a semi-final3 Kutepov against1 Akinfeev England. (cap)1 Akinfeev2 Fernandes (cap)(cap) 1 Akinfeev (cap) 23 Subasic 2 23VrsaljkoSubasic3 Strinic23 Subasic 97’ 74’ 2 Fernandes 3 Kutepov 2 Fernandes 36% 2 Vrsaljko64% 3 Strinic97’ 2 Vrsaljko 74’ 97’ Brazilian-born4 Ignashevich3 Kutepov Mario2 Fernandes Fernandes3 Kutepov 36% 3 Strinic64% 2 74’Vrsaljko4 Perisic3 Strinic 97’ 74’ 63’ 3 Kutepov4 Ignashevich 36% 64% 36% 64%4 Perisic3 Strinic 63’ 74’ had kept6 CheryshevRussia’s4 Ignashevich dream alive6 Cheryshev67’ when4 Ignashevich 67’ 36% 4 Perisic64% 6 Lovren63’ 6 Lovren4 Perisic 63’ 6 Cheryshev4 IgnashevichIgnashevich7 Kuziaev67’ 6 Cheryshev 67’ 6 Lovren 7 Rakitic4 Perisic 6 Lovren 63’ he headed7 Kuziaev home7 Kuziaev in the 115th minute7 Kuziaev 7 Rakitic 7 Rakitic7 Rakitic 6 Cheryshev11 Zobnin 67’ 13 Shots 17 9 Kramaric6 Lovren 88’ to level11 theZobnin scores11 Zobnin and7 forceKuziaev13 Kudriashovpenalties,11 Zobnin 13 Shots13 17 913Kramaric17Shots 1017Modric7 88’Rakitic9 (cap)Kramaric9 Kramaric 88’ 88’ 13 Kudriashov 13 Kudriashov Shots10 Modric (cap) 10 Modric (cap) but he 13andKudriashov Fedor Smolov11 Zobnin both17 Golovin failed to 102’ 137 OnShots target 317 17 Mandzukic9 Kramaric10 Modric (cap) 88’ 17 Golovin 13 Kudriashov19 Samedov102’ 17 Golovin754’ On target102’ 3 177MandzukicOn target 18310RebicModric17 (cap)(cap)Mandzukic convert17 theirGolovin 19spot-kicksSamedov in22 Sochi.Dzyuba54’102’ 19 Samedov79’ 7 54’ 25On targetFouls18 Rebic183 21 Vida17 Mandzukic18 Rebic 22 Dzyuba 17 Golovin 79’ 22 Dzyuba102’25 Fouls 79’ 718 On target2125Vida 3Fouls 1817 Mandzukic21 Vida Croatia,19 Samedov for whom 19AndrejSamedov21 ErokhinKramaric54’ 54’ 54’ (cap) = Captain Yellow card 11 18BrozovicRebic18 Rebic 63’ 21 Erokhin 54’ 21 Erokhin 54’ 11 Brozovic 63’ 11 Brozovic 63’ and Domagoj22 Dzyuba Vida had22 earlierDzyuba10 Smolov found79’ the(cap) =79’ Captain67’ 25YellowSubstitution25 cardFouls(cap)Fouls = Captain Red card18 Yellow22 card21PivaricVida21 Vida 74’ 10 Smolov 8 Gazinskii67’ 10 SmolovSubstitution79’ Red67’ card Substitution22 Pivaric Red card8 Kovacic74’ 22 Pivaric 88’ 74’ 8 Gazinskii 79’ 8 Gazinskii 79’ 8 Kovacic 88’ 8 Kovacic 88’ net, advance to their21 firstErokhin 9WorldDzagoev Cup 54’102’ (cap)(cap)Source: == CaptainCaptain FIFA YellowYellow cardcard 5 11CorlukaBrozovic 97’ 63’ semi-final21 Erokhin since9 Dzagoev 1998..10 Smolov102’54’ 9 Source:Dzagoev67’ FIFA(cap) = CaptainSubstitutionSubstitution102’ Source: FIFA5YellowRedRedCorluka cardcard card 22 97’Pivaric11 Brozovic5 Corluka 74’ 97’ 63’ 10 Smolov 8 Gazinskii 67’ 79’ Substitution Red card 8 Kovacic22 Pivaric 88’ 74’ In contrast for Russia,9 Dzagoevwho had taken 102’ Source:Source: FIFAFIFA 5 Corluka 97’ the lead8 throughGazinskii another Denis 79’Chery- determined to carry on to a first World 8 Kovacic 88’ shev wonder9 Dzagoev goal in the first half,102’ there CupSource: semi-final FIFA since the break-up of the 5 Corluka 97’ is only heartbreak as they finally go out. Soviet Union. They can however be proud of their But Croatia came into this game as efforts, with a run to the last eight ex- the favourites. They may have a pop- ceeding expectations for a side written ulation of little over four million, but off as no-hopers before the tournament. amongst that number are two of the And it remains to be seen how quickly finest midfielders in the world in Rak- Denis Cheryshev of Russia competes for the ball with Domagoj Vida of Croatia Croatia -- whose President Kolinda itic and Luka Modric. Grabar-Kitarovic was watching from They dominated the match, but Rus- the first time in the 101st minute, de- weak attempt at a chipped penalty was penalty saved, but Marcelo Brozovic, the stands in her country’s colours -- sia contributed to another fantastic oc- fender Vida getting his head to a corner saved by Subasic. Modric and Vida all netted theirs before can recover from this draining night, casion in what has been an outstanding to send the ball low into the net, helped For Croatia, Mateo Kovacic had his Rakitic stroked in the winner. having also been taken to extra time and World Cup. by substitute Vedran Corluka getting penalties by Denmark in the last round. out of the way. The arrival of the host nation for Cheryshev bolt from the blue Vida removed his shirt as he ran away the final World Cup match at the Fisht The hosts went ahead thanks to a in celebration, possibly thinking Croa- Stadium meant by far the most vibrant bolt from the blue just after the half- tia were heading through. atmosphere yet at this Black Sea beach hour mark. However, Russia found the resources resort. Cheryshev, who scored three times in to draw level again, substitute Alan The Russians, riding a wave of eu- the group-stage wins over Saudi Arabia Dzagoev holding up a free-kick for phoria after unexpectedly knocking and Egypt, was back in the line-up here Fernandes to head home in the 115th out Spain in the previous round, were after beginning on the bench against minute. Spain last weekend. His shoot-out miss proved pivot- He cut in from the left, exchanged al, however, especially after Smolov’s passes with Artem Dzyuba and skipped away from a Modric challenge before firing home a superb shot from 25 yards BETTER Another drama for us. We on his left foot. didn’t play well in the first Croatia were stunned. But the Rus- half, we didn’t control the sian lead had lasted only eight minutes KNOW game as we wanted. From before they drew level, Mario Mandzu- the start of the second kic cutting the ball back for Kramaric half we played much to head home. better, but unfortunately Ivan Perisic hit the post for Croatia Croatia are the second in a second half they controlled, yet team to win two penalty we couldn’t finish the they had to limp on into extra-time, game. We showed the with goalkeeper Danijel Subasic pro- shoot-outs at a single character again! viding a scare as he hurt a hamstring edition of the FIFA World CROATIA’S LUKA MODRIC late on. Cup after Argentina in However, Croatia took the lead for 1990 Croatia’s players celebrate winning the penalty shootout

Russia’s goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev reacts after losing the penalty shootout Russia’s players react after losing the penalty shootout Luka Modric celebrates with Dejan Lovren

WORLD CUP PREDICT AND WIN Yesterday’s lucky winner is Yohan Kudala. Winner will be contacted