I have to head up to record the World Cup Football Daily podcast now (give it a listen later) so I will leave you to absorb the reaction to Croatia’s victory in your own time. Perhaps, if they can again reach the heights they did against Argentina, we will be happy that they went through tonight (Danes excluded obviously). I would quite like to see more passes like the one Luka Modric slid through for Kramaric before the extra-time penalty. Just delightful. Thanks for your emails and tweets. Bye.

Here’s our first-take match report:

Our man in Nizhny Novgorod David Hytner’s report will be pasted over the top very shortly.

On the subject of Jorgensen’s foul, George Garrett, and a few others, write: “Ed Rostron saying this is bad refereeing... I agree, it should be more than a yellow, but the referee was only following the new set of rules. By all means be angry at the rulebook, but please give the referees a break. Especially this one, he’s had a good game.”

Anyway, how did you rate the performances of the two teams? Let us know here.

It wasn’t a classic – and Croatia weren’t at their best – but this last 16 tie delivered drama again. Schmeichel made one penalty save in extra-time and two in the shootout. But Subaric was just as good in goal for Croatia in the shootout and Croatia perhaps had big-game players who were capable of handling the pressure better than Denmark’s. Russia will fancy their chances against Croatia if they turn up and play as they did tonight. On the balance of play Denmark perhaps just deserved to go through but Croatia, on their day, are much more talented and Modric’s pass to Rebic perhaps deserved to win the game.

Penalties! Croatia 3-2 Denmark (Rakitic scores!) The Barcelona midfielder drills it into the bottom left corner with his right foot, sending Schmeichel the wrong way. And breathe.

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Subasic does it again! Jorgensen went down the middle and Subasic left his legs there. Rakitic has the chance to win it.

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Schmeichel saves again! Down to his right and a wonderful stop. Pivaric bent it towards the corner with pace but the keeper was equal to it.

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Subasic saves to his right. He got there with time to spare after guessing right.

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Modric goes straight down the middle and does beat Schmeichel this time. Just! Schmeichel’s leg almost stopped it.

Hard and low to Subasic’s right. A great strike.

Cool as you like. Nonchalantly slotted to Schmeichel’s right after a stutter.

Top right! Bang! At last. A brilliant penalty.

Straight at Schmeichel, who saves with his legs!

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Subasic knocks it onto the post. A great save down to his right.

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So, here we go. Penalties once again! Looks like Denmark will go first.

Both teams are in a huddle. Apparently, the official reasoning for Jorgensen only receiving a yellow instead of a red is that the referee deemed it to be a genuine attempt to play the ball.

“My 1-1 and going to extra time prediction from minute 14 was correct! Where do I send my address to get my free beer? Wait... there is a free beer, right?” Jeffrey Lilly pats himself on the back.

An email: “So the ref decides that bringing down a guy as he’s about to tap into an empty net is not a red card. And Modric missed the penalty, Jørgensen gets away with it. That is why you should have penalty goals in football. That’s simply unacceptable refereeing,” roars Ed Rostron.

Full-time after extra-time: Croatia 1-1 Denmark.

ET 120 min: Modric has a go from distance but it’s straight at Schmeichel.

ET 118 min: Well, at last some drama. Denmark didn’t deserve to lose before having a go at penalties given their improved performance. But Modric’s moment of brilliance and the way that Rebic was brought down just before he was about to slide the ball home will have many Croatia fans believing they should be going through without the trauma of a shootout.

ET 116 min: Modric slides the ball to Schmeichel’s left and Schmeichel is there to save with his midriff. He gave Modric the eyes and went one way and then dived the other. The ball was in the corner but Schmeichel read him and gathered it. He’s mobbed. And high in the stands his dad punches the air like a giddy child.

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ET 115 min: Modric splits Denmark’s defence with a wonderful pass. Rebic hares on to it and rounds Schmeichel but is brought down by Jorgensen just as he is about to slide it home. Jorgensen is only booked. Modric to take it.

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ET 113 min: Knudsen winds his shoulders back and sends one airborne. It’s flicked on to Jorgensen at the far post, but he twists his body and drags his right-footed effort wide. It wasn’t an easy chance but he could have done better.

ET 112 min: Jorgensen dinks the ball inside him looking for Eriksen. Lovren steams in and slices the ball out for a Knudsen special.

ET 110 min: Denmark are popping the passes around midfield with vim and vigour. They finally give the ball away and Croatia win a free-kick after Nicolai Jorgensen shoves Kramaric to the floor. Still, Denmark look the more likely to nick this before penalties.

ET 109 min: Mandzukic, who looks completely out of gas, is replaced by Badelj.

ET 107 min: Did I mention Sisto replaced Braithwaite? Well he did and he has just been sent haring down the inside left channel by Eriksen, turning sharply before curling just wide of the far post with a dipping right-footer.

ET 106 min: Sisto releases Jorgensen on the inside-right channel. He gallops into the box but slams his cross into Pivaric.

ET 105 min: “I imagine that when an entire team seems to no longer function as they can it must be a problem with shape or formation (or passing sideways slowly). Would that be a fair excuse for Croatia?” asks Ian Copestake. Yes, but Denmark’s change of shape from three at the back to a back four has helped level the midfield battle.

Peep! Modric was more lively at the end of that half. But this looks like we’re heading for penalties.

ET 105 min: Modric wallops the corner at the near post, where Denmark clear. It’s not happening.

Et 104 min: That’s more like it. Modric lifts a beautiful pass over Denmark’s defence for Kramaric, who takes a feather-toed touch before winning a corner. The first is cleared and then Croatia win another. Modric to take it …

ET 103 min: Croatia finally have a bit of possession. There is absolutely no movement in front of Modric and co though.

101 min: Croatia hoik a long ball over the top for Mandzukic but he’s offside.

ET 100 min: “Is extra-time just a waste of time?” asks David Penney. “In most cases both sides are so shattered it’s played at most at a jogging pace, both teams reluctant to over stretch their defences. I may be completely proven wrong in the next 30mins. Shouldn’t it just go straight to penalties and be done with it?” Denmark are making a go of it here David. But yes, it’s hardly electric stuff.

ET 98 min: Schone, who has been very good since replacing Christensen, takes a lovely touch with his instep before arcing a shot towards the far post from 25 yards that drifts a foot wide. Denmark are getting closer. Do you remember when Croatia were good?

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Et 97 min: Delaney is replaced by Krohn-Dehli. After a difficult first half Delaney has been excellent.

Et 94 min: Eriksen is sent scuttling down the inside right channel. He clips the ball in towards Nicolai Jorgensen but it bounces and skips away to Knudsen on the far post. He skips into the box and is almost brought down by Perisic but wriggles free and stays on his feet before hammering a decent ball into the box that is cleared for a corner. The corner is cleared for a throw that Knudsen flings into the box, again causing panic. Denmark are well on top. Croatia look spent. This is the Knudsen show!

ET 92 min: The first throw is cleared to the edge of the box where Schone takes a shy at goal only for his shot to cannon off a defender and out for another throw. Knudsen shuffles over to the other side of the pitch and hurls another one in. Croatia head clear.

ET 90 min: Knudsen curls a dipping ball into the box from the left that Braithwaite heads down towards Nicolai Jorgensen. It causes all kinds of jitters in the Croatia box and is eventually cleared. A throw-in on the right. Knudsen prepares his latest missile.

“As I try to take a positive out of a negative the current long wait for penalties is enlivened by the thought of how Ramos must be feeling,” chuckles Ian Copestake.

Ruth Purdue brings the love for referee Nestor Pitana. “He is always on it, rarely makes a mistake and doesn’t take any nonsense. Also helps players up. Refreshing. Hope he get’s further in the tournament.” He’s already got as far as any other Argentinian Ruth.

An email: “This match lacks Suker and spice,” honks Peter Oh. Can’t disagree Peter. The first four minutes feel like they took place at Brazil 2014.

Yes, it’s Croatia 1-1 Denmark after 90 mins. We’ll have another 30 minutes of this. I hope it gets better.

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90+3 min: Denmark race up the other end and win a corner. Eriksen whips it in from the right. Subasic gets a soft fist to it and Poulsen mishits a volley a foot wide.

90+1 min: Rakitic thumps a low shot at goal from 30 yards. It’s hit with some venom but ends up a foot wide of Schmeichel’s left-hand post.

90 min: It’s another looping torpedo but this one is hoofed well clear and Croatia start to build after gathering the ball in midfield. Also, there will be three more minutes of this before another 30 minutes of this. Argh!

89 min: Knudsen hurls another long throw into the box. It’s huge and flicks off Lovren’s head and runs out for another throw on the opposite side. Knudsen to do his Rory Delap impression again …

88 min: Schone fires well over from 20 yards. Denmark still fancy this.

86 min: Croatia have found their missing spark. Rebic twists Knudsen all over the place like a child’s rubber toy and then drills a cross into the box that causes all kinds of mayhem. Modric fires the ball into a defender and out for corner. This is more lively at last. The corner is a decent outswinger but the Danes defend it well.

84 min: Kovacic is dusted off and back on his feet. The free-kick is played short and worked out to Pivaric. He whips the ball in to the near-post, where Perisic flicks a looping header backwards and just over the bar.

82 min: Kovacic is dumped in a heap by a collection of Denmark players. He’s holding his shoulder and wearing a grim expression. He could be in trouble here.

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80 min: Another Croatia change: Pivaric, a left-back, is coming on for Strinic, who has looked lost this half. Apparently Pivaric is a full-back of the bombing-on variety with a mistake in him. The Croation Alberto Moreno, if you like. There could be some fun times to be had if he goes on an adventurous dawdle up field.

79 min: “Not sure if he has already had his one for the game, but if not it might yet be enlivened by a Lovren faux pas,” writes Ian Copestake. Not yet Ian. But give him time. And boy, does this game need something to liven it up.

77 min: Modric attempts to trouble Schmeichel with a 30-yarder after a poor clearance but his shot his pulled well wide. And then Vrsaljko drills one straight at Schmeichel after a little shuffle through midfield. That’s more like it. From small acorns etc and so on …