Croatia stunned five-time champions Brazil and sent them packing from the FIFA World Cup 2022 after beating them 4-2 in a penalty shootout to storm into the semi-finals for the second straight time.
After a 0-0 stalemate through 90 minutes and pushing the game in extra time. The match had finished 1-1 after extra time, with both goals coming in the additional 30 minutes. Neymar scored late in the first half of extra time to give Brazil the lead, but Croatia equalized when Bruno Petkovic scored in the 117th.
Croatia and Brazil went to penalty kicks to determine which side will progress to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup. Croatia found the back of the net each time. Croatia were through and the star-studded World Cup favourites were heading home.
It was a heartbreaking moment for the Brazilian superstar Neymar, who scored a goal in the penalty shootout to give Brazil a 1-0 lead but it lasted for a few fleeting moments as then it was Croatia all over. Brazil's hapless defeat left Neymar in tears at midfield. But what happened next won million of hearts as Croatian winger Ivan Persic's son stormed into the field to console the superstar footballer Neymar.
Both of them was seen shaking hands and sharing a brief hug as a show of respect between the player and the child. However, moments after the little chap ran off to join his dad in the celebration.
The video is doing rounds of internet ever since.
Here's the video…
At the 2018 World Cup, Croatia made it all the way to the final before falling to France. With their win over Brazil, Croatia are one step closer to making it back to the big slugfest of the marquee tournament.
Meanwhile, Neymar's goal moved him into a tie with Pele as Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 77 goals. Croatia will next face either Argentina or the Netherlands to try to return to the World Cup final four years after losing the title to France. Five of Croatia's last six matches at World Cups have gone to extra time, including in its penalty shootout win over Japan in the round of 16 in Qatar. The team has been successful in eight of its last 10 knockout matches at the tournament.
