Neymar went level with Pele as Brazil’s all-time top scorer with a stunning extra time breakthrough goal against Croatia but Bruno Petkovic dramatically sent the World Cup quarter-final at Education City Stadium into a penalty shoot-out.
Zlatko Dalic’s men played an additional period for the eighth time in their past nine major tournament matches, thanks largely to their inspired goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who twice denied Neymar amid a virtuoso second-half display.
The Paris Saint-Germain superstar found a way through with a goal entirely of his own making in stoppage time at the end of the first half of extra time, twice exchanging passes with teammates before rifling into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
5th penalty: Modric trots up nonchalantly. Sends Alisson the wrong way and puts it right in the corner. So good. Croatia 3-1 Brazil.
4th penalty: Casemiro is up. Livakovic guesses correctly again but it’s a great penalty. Croatia 2-1 Brazil.
3rd penalty: Another substitute, Majer…lashes it down the middle! Croatia 2-0 Brazil.
2nd penalty: Rodrygo with a long, winding run… Livakovic saves! Down to his left, it’s a poor penalty. Croatia 1-0 Brazil.
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