Croatia defeats Japan 3-1 (1-1) on penalties to go to the quarterfinals.

After a 1-1 Round of 16 draw in Al Wakrah, Croatia defeated Japan 3-1 on penalties to advance to the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals.
Both Croatia and Japan missed a couple early chances to score. However, Daizen Maeda opened the goal for Japan from a well-executed corner kick just before the end of the first half. Ivan Perisic's spectacular header gave Croatia a 1-1 tie early in the second half. The two teams were unable to win in added time, forcing the game into extra time for the first time in this FIFA World Cup. The two squads were indistinguishable even during the extra period. In the penalty shootout, the Croatian team won 3-1 (1-1) thanks to the goalkeeper's heroics.