Hello everybody and welcome along to another live match blog from the Qatar 2022 World Cup, this time taking you through Japan vs Croatia in their Round of 16 tie this Monday, December 5. Here, we will have live updates throughout the game.
Al-Janoub Stadium will play host to Japan vs Croatia in Al-Wakrah, Qatar. The referee for the game is MLS official Ismail Elfath. The assistant referees are Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins and the VAR official is Nicolas Gallo.
Japan vs Croatia: Follow the World Cup match live on December 5
Penalty shootout - 1-3
Japan: XXOX
Croatia: OOXO
Mario Pasalic scores the winning penalty for Croatia and sends them into the quarter-finals
Match ends, Japan 1(1), Croatia 1(3).
Penalty Shootout ends, Japan 1(1), Croatia 1(3).
Goal! Japan 1(1), Croatia 1(3). Mario Pasalic (Croatia) converts the penalty with a right footed shot.
Penalty saved! Maya Yoshida (Japan) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved.
Penalty missed! Still Japan 1(1), Croatia 1(2). Marko Livaja (Croatia) hits the woodwork with a right footed shot.
Goal! Japan 1(1), Croatia 1(2). Takuma Asano (Japan) converts the penalty with a right footed shot.
Goal! Japan 1, Croatia 1(2). Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) converts the penalty with a right footed shot.
Penalty saved! Kaoru Mitoma (Japan) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved.
Goal! Japan 1, Croatia 1(1). Nikola Vlasic (Croatia) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Penalty saved! Takumi Minamino (Japan) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved.
Penalty Shootout begins Japan 1, Croatia 1.
Second Half Extra Time ends, Japan 1, Croatia 1.
Attempt missed. Lovro Majer (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mislav Orsic.
Attempt blocked. Mislav Orsic (Croatia) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic.
One final push
Croatia are piling on the pressure in the final moments of extra time. Japan are pinned into their own box. If one team are to win it, it looks like it will be Croatia.
Borna Barisic (Croatia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Borna Barisic (Croatia).
Junya Ito (Japan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Marko Livaja (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is saved.
Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Junya Ito.
Lovro Majer (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ao Tanaka (Japan).
Second Half Extra Time begins Japan 1, Croatia 1.
Substitution, Croatia. Mislav Orsic replaces Ivan Perisic.
Substitution, Croatia. Marko Livaja replaces Ante Budimir.
Substitution, Japan. Ao Tanaka replaces Hidemasa Morita.
Half time in extra time
After 15 minutes nothing can separate the two sides. Both look spent and penalties are looming. Can one side muster enough energy for one last meaningful attack?
First Half Extra Time ends, Japan 1, Croatia 1.
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Mario Pasalic.
Attempt blocked. Takumi Minamino (Japan) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Wataru Endo (Japan) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Kaoru Mitoma (Japan) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Foul by Borna Barisic (Croatia).
Junya Ito (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Borna Barisic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Croatia. Nikola Vlasic replaces Mateo Kovacic.
Substitution, Croatia. Lovro Majer replaces Luka Modric.
Foul by Luka Modric (Croatia).
Hidemasa Morita (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Mario Pasalic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan).
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Mateo Kovacic.
Attempt missed. Shogo Taniguchi (Japan) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Junya Ito with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Ivan Perisic.
First Half Extra Time begins Japan 1, Croatia 1.
Extra time
We have another 30 minutes of action here in Qatar, and if things are still level, we go to a penalty shootout.
Second Half ends, Japan 1, Croatia 1.
Foul by Ante Budimir (Croatia).
Maya Yoshida (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Borna Barisic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Hiroki Sakai (Japan).
Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Croatia).
Junya Ito (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Borna Barisic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Hiroki Sakai (Japan).
Foul by Ivan Perisic (Croatia).
Wataru Endo (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Japan. Takumi Minamino replaces Ritsu Doan.
Will Croatia go for it?
With just five minutes left to go in the regulation 90, will either of the coaches throw caution to the wind? Croatia are slightly on top, but Japan are dangerous on the break. Or will we see the first extra-time of the World Cup?
Attempt missed. Mario Pasalic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box.
Ante Budimir (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Hidemasa Morita (Japan).
Foul by Ante Budimir (Croatia).
Maya Yoshida (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Japan. Shuichi Gonda tries a through ball, but Takuma Asano is caught offside.
Luka Modric (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Wataru Endo (Japan).
Foul by Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia).
Wataru Endo (Japan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Peter Schmeichel on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Croatia are in full control of this game, they are defending better now. But inside the box they are lining up differently. I feel the experience of being here before is kicking in now. For 10-15 minutes Japan have created nothing."
Ritsu Doan (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Attempt blocked. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ante Budimir.
Foul by Ante Budimir (Croatia).
Wataru Endo (Japan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Japan. Hiroki Sakai replaces Daichi Kamada.
Attempt missed. Mario Pasalic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Josip Juranovic with a cross.
Dejan Lovren (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Hidemasa Morita (Japan).
Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Junya Ito.
Josip Juranovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Takuma Asano (Japan).
Foul by Borna Barisic (Croatia).
Ritsu Doan (Japan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Offside, Japan. Junya Ito tries a through ball, but Takuma Asano is caught offside.
Substitution, Croatia. Mario Pasalic replaces Andrej Kramaric.
Attempt missed. Ante Budimir (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic.
Substitution, Japan. Takuma Asano replaces Daizen Maeda.
Substitution, Japan. Kaoru Mitoma replaces Yuto Nagatomo.
Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Shuichi Gonda.
Attempt saved. Luka Modric (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic with a headed pass.
Substitution, Croatia. Ante Budimir replaces Bruno Petkovic.
Jermaine Jenas on BBC 1: "Modric hits it really well. It bounces up lovely and he tries to dip it over the keeper. Gonda was ready for the task at hand and dealt with it really well."
Foul by Borna Barisic (Croatia).
Ritsu Doan (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Ritsu Doan (Japan) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Wataru Endo.
Attempt blocked. Hidemasa Morita (Japan) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Wataru Endo.
Attempt blocked. Wataru Endo (Japan) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Dominik Livakovic.
Attempt saved. Wataru Endo (Japan) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Goal! Japan 1, Croatia 1. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box.
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Dejan Lovren.
Foul by Ivan Perisic (Croatia).
Wataru Endo (Japan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Hidemasa Morita (Japan) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box.
Attempt missed. Daichi Kamada (Japan) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Hidemasa Morita.
Second Half begins Japan 1, Croatia 0.
Japan 1-0 Croatia
After a good spell in possession the creation of a few chances, Croatia faded as the first half went on and go in at the break behind to a Maeda goal. Croatia will need to up the tempo of their game in the second half if they are to keep their World Cup dream alive.
First Half ends, Japan 1, Croatia 0.
Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Maya Yoshida.
Goal! Japan 1, Croatia 0. Daizen Maeda (Japan) left footed shot from the centre of the box following a corner.
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Marcelo Brozovic.
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Josip Juranovic.
Attempt missed. Daichi Kamada (Japan) right footed shot from the left side of the box.
Jermaine Jenas on BBC 1: "Japan move it sharply but they just have to get these touches right. Moriyasu will be delighted with what his team has done so far."
Bruno Petkovic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Maya Yoshida (Japan).
Croatia on top
After a bright start, Japan have been slowly overran by a methodical Croatia who took their time to get into a rhythm. Perisic has looked good on the left and Kramaric has come close to opening the scoring himself.
Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Yuto Nagatomo (Japan).
Attempt missed. Josko Gvardiol (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Ivan Perisic following a set piece situation.
Josko Gvardiol (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ritsu Doan (Japan).
Bruno Petkovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Maya Yoshida (Japan).
Offside, Japan. Ritsu Doan tries a through ball, but Daizen Maeda is caught offside.
Foul by Josko Gvardiol (Croatia).
Ritsu Doan (Japan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hand ball by Luka Modric (Croatia).
Josip Juranovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Yuto Nagatomo (Japan).
Attempt blocked. Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) left footed shot from very close range is blocked.
Attempt saved. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved.
Attempt missed. Shogo Taniguchi (Japan) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Wataru Endo with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Borna Barisic.
Foul by Dejan Lovren (Croatia).
Daizen Maeda (Japan) wins a free kick on the left wing.
First Half begins.
All set
The teams are out and we're set to go for this knockout round match. Let's go!
Team news
The teams are in ahead of this Round of 16 tie...
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
On December 5, Japan and Croatia will do battle for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals at the Al-Janoub Stadium in Al-Wakrah, Qatar.
What is Japan's squad for the Qatar 2022 World Cup?
For the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Japan, and coach Hajime Moriyasu, called up the following players:
Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima, Daniel Schmidt, Shuichi Gonda
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Shogo Taniguchi, Miki Yamane, Ko Itakura, Yuta Nakayama, Hiroki Ito, Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Midfieldiers: Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Hidemasa Morita, Daichi Kamada, Ao Tanaka, Takumi Minamino.
Forwards: Junya Ito, Takuma Asano, Yuki Soma, Kaoru Mitoma, Daizen Maeda, Ritsu Doan, Ayase Ueda, Takefusa Kubo.
What is Croatia's squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup?
For the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Croatia, and coach called up the following players:
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic and Ivo Grbic
Defenders: Dejan Lovren, Domagoj Vida, Martin Erlic, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Josko Gvardiol, Josip Sutalo
Midfieldiers: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristikan Jakic and Luka Sucic
Forwards: Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja