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.



译文(自动翻译仅供参考):

这是克罗地亚队连续第二次参加世界杯，也是他们历史上第三次参加世界杯，在周一的16强比赛中，克罗地亚队在点球大战中以3-1击败日本队后，他们将在最大的国际舞台上参加四分之一决赛。

在伊万·佩里西奇取消了前田大曾在上半场的进球后，两国被迫进入加时赛和点球大战，但在点球大战中，荷兰赢得了胜利，守门员多米尼克·利瓦科维奇扑出了日本队4次点球中的3次，帮助兹拉特科·达利奇的球队锁定了八强席位。

克罗地亚在最高水平的国际足球比赛中并不陌生，自1998年首次在世界杯决赛中获得第三名以来，他们在最近8场重大赛事的淘汰赛中有7场被拖入加时赛。