The dream is over for Russia as they fall on penalties to Croatia after another stunning effort on home soil.
The fans will be proud of their team yet lamenting a lost chance at a World Cup semi-final after the teams were locked at 2-2 after 120 minutes in Sochi. Penalties were required to separate the teams and it was the sure footed Croatians who held their nerve and completed their own fairy tale run to the semi-finals.
What a match, what a tournament and what a win for Croatia.
Croatia 2 (6)
Russia 2 (5)
The host nation Russia face a major challenge when they do battle with Croatia in the quarterfinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match at Fisht Stadium on early Sunday morning, starting from 4am AEST.
The FIFA World Cup is nearing its conclusion with the groups stage complete and the knockouts now well underway.
The sixteen qualifiers who made it past the groups stage has been shrunk down to just eight survivors for the quarterfinals, and now that number is being culled again.
Already Uruguay and Brazil have been sent home in the first two quarterfinals by France and Belgium respectively, who will go through to a semi-final against each other.
Now on the other side of the draw, the Russians and the Croatians do battle with only one able to progress to the semis.
Whoever does make it through will find themselves up against the winner of today’s earlier match, played between England and Sweden.
The Russians have been arguably the biggest surprise packet of the tournament so far, coming this far despite being only the 70th-ranked nation in the world.
Obviously the home ground advantage has been a big factor for them. They defeated both Saudi Arabia and Egypt in the group stage, but lost to Uruguay.
That left them with a challenging match-up in the Round of 16, but they were able to get through over Spain with a win on penalties.
Croatia, meanwhile, are the world No.20 and so far have had a more impressive tournament – going 3-0 in the groups stage, and then knocking out Denmark on penalties in the Round of 16.
Prediction
Russian fans have been living the dream, but it’s hard to see it going any further from here.
Croatia 2-1.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the quarterfinals match between Russia and Croatia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Fisht Stadium on early Sunday morning, starting from 4am AEST.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
Yes this one - appallingly bad penalty!!
Stuart Thomas
Expert
The dream is over for Russia as they fall on penalties to Croatia after another stunning effort on home soil. The fans will be proud of their team yet lamenting a lost chance at a World Cup semi-final after the teams were locked at 2-2 after 120 minutes in Sochi. Penalties were required to separate the teams and it was the sure footed Croatians who held their nerve and completed their own fairy tale run to the semi-finals. The Russians began enthusiastically, sitting off the Croatians and countering with venom. Cheryshev scored his fourth goal of the tournament in stunning fashion with a bomb from outside the area after half and hour, before Kramaric levelled things up with a precise header just a few minutes later. Locked at half-time, the match continued in the same style early in the second period with Croatia dominating possession and the Russians looking for chances on the break. Extra time loomed with neither team able to make the break through and it took 100 minutes before Vida found the net to put Croatia in the lead and seemingly through to the semi-finals. However, the Russians had one more dramatic moment to share as Fernandes scored with just five minutes of extra-time remaining. The crowd tried to ride the Russians home to victory and if not for some heroics by Subasic in the Croation goal, they may have snatched the win. Penalties seemed more likely and Croatia were close to perfect from the spot while hero Fernandes, blazed wide and opened the door for them. Modric's penalty was shaky but it found the mark and off the back of Rakitic's final strike, Croatia moved their way into a semi-final with England. What a match, what a tournament and what a win for Croatia.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Tears on both sides for different reasons. Emotionally rung out both sides.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 5: Croatia........to win it...........GOAL (4-3 Croatia) It is over!
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 5: Russia..............GOAL (3-3)
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 4: Croatia..............GOAL (3-2 Croatia)
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 4: Russia..............GOAL (2-2)
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 3: Croatia...........Modric..........GOAL (2-1 Croatia)
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Seeing the best and the worst of penalty taking.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 3: Russia................Fernandes..........Misses (1-1)
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 2: Croatia...................Kovacic..........SAVED! (1-1)
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 2: Russia..........Goal.
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 1: Croatia..............Brozovic..........Goal.
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Penalty No 1: Russia..............Smolov..........SAVED
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
It is Subasic vs Akinfeev
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Full Time That is it. Penalties!
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
120' - Russia break one more time and Croatia return the favour as we enter the last minute.
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
120' - Just seconds remain. Croatia in an advanced position late in the game.
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
118' - Subasic saves again from a low ball to his right.
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2
Stuart Thomas
Expert
118' - Is there time for a late winner? Modric strikes from long range but it is wide.
Russia: 2 Croatia: 2