World Cup 2018: Ivan Perisic living the dream as Croatia create history

Croatia had to endure 65 minutes of agonizing football before they scored their first goal thanks to Ivan Perisic whose strike helped the match go into extra-time as they trailed 1-0 after the fifth minute of the semi-final against England at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

But it was Perisic's fourth World Cup goal which brought the Croatians back into the game and from there they launched an all-out attack on the Three Lions.

Kieran Trippier had put England ahead in the fifth minute of the match but Perisic cancelled out the lead in the 68th minute for Croatia.

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As the game moved to extra-time, both teams failed to create chances. There was no change to the scoreline in the first half but Mandzukic reacted quickly to a pass from Perisic and he netted it in as Jordan Pickford looked on helplessly in the 109th minute as Croatia became the first side in the tournament's history to qualify from three successive games of extra-time.

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Croatia became only the second team to take their match to extra-time for the third consecutive time.

Before Wednesday's match, they had defeated Denmark 3-2 via penalties in the round-of-16 and then went onto beat Russia 4-3 via shootout in two nail-biting fixtures. The only other team to do so was England in 1990.

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"It was a very difficult game, we all know what was at stake and how important a semi-final is for a small country like Croatia.

"We started slowly but we've shown our character, just as we have in the previous two knockout rounds when we were one goal down in both matches. We didn't used to be that resilient," Perisic said after the game.

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"Twenty years ago I was back in Omis, my home town. I rooted for Croatia, wearing a Croatia jersey, and I could only dream of playing for my country and scoring one of the most important goals to send us to a final," the man-of-the-match added.

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Striker Mario Mandzukic, who scored the winning goal for Croatia in the 109th minute, said the team played like lions to beat England.

"This is a miracle. Only great teams can be as brave as we were and fight back from a goal down against teams like England," said Mandzukic, whose side face France in Sunday's final.

"We've played our hearts out throughout the tournament. I am happy with my performances so far but I am here for the team. We were like lions out there tonight and we will be the same in the final."

Dalic, who was appointed in October, days before their final group qualifying match against Ukraine, said there was more to come.

"We are deservedly in the final. What the lads played tonight is fantasy, they've made history. We haven't said our last word, there is still one more game to go. God willing, we will be world champions," he said.

Croatia will now look to cross the final hurdle and lift their maiden World Cup title as they face France in the summit clash at the same venue on July 15.

(With Reuters inputs)