Japan exit World Cup on penalties after grueling war of attrition with Croatia
![Japanese players react during a penalty shootout at the end of a round of 16 match between Japan and Croatia at the 2022 Qatar World Cup at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar on Dec. 5. [XINHUA/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2022/12/06/49b0eb7a-c0a6-43f1-9043-0ad08cf6f5b2.jpg)
Japanese players react during a penalty shootout at the end of a round of 16 match between Japan and Croatia at the 2022 Qatar World Cup at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar on Dec. 5. [XINHUA/YONHAP]
Japan became the first victims of a penalty shootout at the 2022 Qatar World Cup on Monday, losing to Croatia 3-1 on penalties after holding the European side to a 1-1 draw over a grueling 120 minutes.
The departure ends an impressive campaign for the Samurai Blue. Japan defeated both Germany and Spain in the group stage with the sort of clinical performance that Asian football fans have seen from Japan time and time again, but which European pundits seem to insist on being surprised by every time.
Even in the round of 16 it was Japan that drew first blood, sitting defensively to hold off the Croatian attack and allow Celtic’s Daizen Maeda to put the Asian side up 1-0 in the 43rd minute.
Unfortunately for Japan the lead did not last, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Ivan Perisic heading in the equalizer 10 minutes into the second half.
What followed was a long and exhausting stalemate, as Japan found themselves increasingly on the back foot but continued to hold off any Croatian attempt on goal. Neither side could break through after about 130 minutes of play including extra time and injury time, leaving no option but to head into a penalty shootout.
Visibly exhausted and with very little left to give, Japan fell apart in the penalty shootout. Takuma Asano was the only Japanese player to make his shot, with Croatia quickly taking a 3-1 lead to win the game and secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
The shootout marked a disappointing end to a fairly disappointing game. A war of attrition rather than one of exciting football, both Japan and Croatia had eked out a lifeless performance for as long as it could possibly go on, providing very little for the half-empty Al Janoub Stadium to get excited about.
For both countries the final result is history repeating itself. Japan have reached the round of 16 at the World Cup on four occasions now, losing every single time. Two of those defeats were on penalties, against Croatia on Monday and Portugal in 2010.
Croatia, meanwhile, have played into extra time in six of their last seven knockout stage games at the World Cup and won their two previous penalty shootouts, in 2018 against Denmark and Russia.
With Japan and Korea both losing on Monday — Korea fell 4-1 to tournament favorites Brazil — there are now no Asian sides left in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Australia, an honorary Asian side for footballing purposes, was the only other team to reach the round of 16, losing 2-1 to Argentina on Saturday.
With six of eight round of 16 games complete as of press time, the final lineup for the World Cup quarterfinals is starting to become clear.
Croatia will take on Brazil in the first quarterfinal on Friday, with the Netherlands and Argentina following later that night. England and France will face off on Saturday evening, with either Spain or Morocco taking on either Portugal or Switzerland earlier that day.
The semifinals will be held in the middle of next week, with the final scheduled on Sunday Dec. 18.
BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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