16:57
EXTRA TIME: Japan 1-1 Croatia
ET: 1' - Japan kick-off extra-time through Minamino. Here we go!
16:56
Stats from the match
As we wait for extra-time to start, let's take a look at some of the key statistics from the clash so far...
xG: 1.00-1.15
Shots: 9-12
Shots on target: 3-3
Touches in opp. box: 10-23
Possession: 41%-59%
The first set of extra-time at the 2022 World Cup incoming. ⏱#FIFAWorldCup
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) December 5, 2022
16:52
Time is up! We're going to extra-time!
Nothing in it both on the pitch and on the scoreboard, and we're heading for extra-time.
16:51
Extra time looming?
90+3': It looks as though both sides have accepted this going to extra-time, with a few sloppy passes from both sides creeping in.
Get ready for the first extra-time of the tournament...
16:48
YELLOW: Kovacic picks up booking
90' - Kovacic slides in and catches Ito late with a poorly-timed tackle. He goes into the referee's book as a result.
Four minutes of stoppage time has been added on.
16:45
SUB: Japan turn to Minamino
87' - A late substitution for Japan as ex-Liverpool winger Minamino replaces Doan.
16:44
Pasalic misses
86' - Another cross causes problems for Japan as Perisic floats the ball towards the back post.
Taniguchi just does enough to put off Pasalic, who heads wide.
16:43
Perisic nearly breaks the line
84' - Brozovic and Perisic try a quick one-two to break the line on the right flank but the goal-scorer overhits it, handing Japan a goal-kick.
16:39
Tomiyasu wastes BIG chance
80' - Mitoma threads a fantastic ball into the path of Tomiyasu, who has a clear chance to shoot on goal, but the right-back instinctively cuts the ball back into a sea of Croatian defenders.
Impatient play from Tomiyasu. He has to get his head up there and have an effort on goal!
16:35
Perisic comes close!
77' - Yoshida misplaces his pass and puts the ball into Perisic's path. He drives into the open space and fires a long shot on goal, but it's narrowly deflected behind for a corner.
Doan then puts in an excellent last-ditch tackle to quell the danger from the subsequent set-piece.
16:33
SUB: Kamada makes way
75' - Interesting change from Moriyasu, as right-back Sakai replaces winger Kamada, who has arguably been Japan's best player so far.
16:31
Good defending from Ito
73' - Modric sees Perisic free on the left wing and drops a teasing diagonal pass across to the goal-scorer, but Ito scampers back to head the ball behind for a corner.
16:28
Not quite for Mitoma
70' - Mitoma tries to speed round Pasalic on the left flank but overruns his final touch, handing Croatia a goal kick.
16:26
SUB: Pasalic comes on
68' - Kramaric makes way for Croatia as Dalic looks to Pasalic to ignite his attack.
16:25
Budimir misses BIG chance
67' - Kramaric whips a searching ball in towards Budimir and finds his striker in a golden position, but he misses the target by some distance.
As a substitute striker, you couldn't have wished for a better chance before coming on. Big opportunity wasted there...
16:22
SUBS: Maede bows out
64' - Super subs Asano and Mitoma come on for Japan, as goal-scorer Maede and Nagatomo bow out.
16:21
Gonda DENIES Modric
63' - Modric thrashes his right foot at the ball outside the box with exceptional technique and nearly catches the Japanese keeper off-guard, but Gonda manages to get across and tip the ball over with a firm hand.
16:20
SUB: Budimir comes on
62' - It's the end of the afternoon for Petkovic, who has struggled up front today. Budimir comes on to replace him.
16:19
Tame Doan effort saved
60' - Doan takes a shot inside the crowded penalty box as he's falling to the floor, and it prompts a simple save from Livakovic.
16:16
BIG save from Livakovic!
58' - Endo fires from distance after riding a couple of challenges outside the penalty box, and the big Croat just manages to tip the ball over the bar.
16:14
GOAL! Japan 1-1 Croatia
56' - What a header from Ivan Perisic!
After some patient build-up from Croatia, Lovren whips a cross into the penalty area and Perisic meets it firmly, sweetly directing the header into the bottom corner.
It's a goal out of nowhere for Croatia, and that's just what Dalic's side needed!
16:11
Penalty shout from Croatia
52' - Petkovic tumbles over in the box and screams to the referee for a penalty, feeling Yoshida brought him down by his shirt.
The referee walks away disinterested, and VAR quickly agrees with the decision.
16:07
Kovacic shoots from distance
49' - Croatia take a long throw from deep and Japan manage to head the ball clear, just outside the penalty box.
Kovacic attempts a speculative looping half-volley, which slowly heads wide.
16:04
Kamada fires over
46' - Moments after kick-off, Kamada skips on to his right foot as he evades a challenge and fires on goal from distance, inciting a dive from Livakovic.
The ball soars over the bar, but it's a positive start to the half from Japan.
16:03
SECOND HALF: Japan 1-0 Croatia
46' - Kamada gets us back underway for the second half.
15:56
Kamada's half in numbers
A big half from Daichi Kamada!
Daichi Kamada's first half by numbers vs. Croatia:
100% take-ons completed
100% tackle success
31 touches
5/6 duels won
2 x possession won
2 tackles
2 take-ons
1 clearance
1 shot
Dancing around the middle of the park. 🩰#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/n4hH0sMUSH
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 5, 2022
15:49
HALF TIME: Japan 1-0 Croatia
After two minutes of added time at the end of the half, the referee blows for half-time with Japan deserved leaders heading into the break.
Deep into stoppage time, Modric's corner kick nearly found Lovren, but Japan survived the danger.
Maede's goal typified the hard work and effort shown by Japan in the first-half, who were far more positive and energetic than Dalic's side.
15:44
GOAL! Japan 1-0 Croatia
44' - They've got there goal!
A short corner routine sees Doan whip a great cross into the area, and Yoshida manages to direct the ball back across goal.
Maede is in the right place at the right time to fire the ball home with his left foot, sending the Japanese crowd into a frenzy. 1-0 Japan!
15:42
Kamada misses HUGE chance
41' - Ito skips away on the break and plays a smart ball through to Maede, who initiates Japan's best chance of the match, allowing his side to get up the pitch.
Maede shrugs off the defender and passes to Morita, who fires a pass into Kamada in the penalty area.
Kamada cuts inside and fires an effort on goal but misses the target from close range. They're doing everything right here but can't find the finish!
15:38
Modric having an off day
37' - Modric gives the ball away on the edge of his area, inspiring Japan to launch another attack on the Croatian defence.
It's not been the best half from Modric so far, with Japan making Croatia look very lethargic in midfield.
15:35
Solid possession from Japan
34' - Japan fashion their best spell of possession during the match and force an overload in the middle of the park, almost feeding a pass through to Maeda.
Kamada can't quite sort his feet out and the chance goes begging, but that passage of play will give Japan confidence.
15:32
Endo sets up smart break
31' - Endo plays an exceptional ball through to Kamada on the break, but the winger isn't able to capitalise on the opportunity.
As he charges towards the box, Croatia recover enough bodies and just get a toe to the ball, relinquishing the danger.
If Japan score this afternoon, it looks like a counter-attack is most likely.
15:29
Great spell for Croatia
28' - Croatia bombard the box with crosses from either side, first through Juranovic and then through Barisic on the left flank.
Perisic glances Barisic's cross towards the back post and Kramaric looks as though he's there for a simple tap-in, but he just can't quite make it to the ball in time.
Japan survive!
15:27
Petkovic squanders another opportunity
26' - Petkovic breaks the Japanese line and runs in behind, but fails to see Kramaric completely free in support.
Taniguchi gets back in time to slow down the striker, who is unable to sort his feet out and find his team-mate for an easy finish.
15:26
Gvardiol misses half chance
24' - Poor effort from Gvardiol...
Modric drills in a free-kick and Japan's clearance falls to Gvardiol on the edge of the area, but he spoons his shot high into the air.
The defender looks down at the pitch accusingly...
15:23
Gvardiol briefly goes down hurt
23' - Gvardiol hits the deck after charging in for a challenge on Doan. After a short stoppage, the centre-half gets back to his feet and carries on.
15:21
Ito getting the better of Barisic
20' - Speedy Ito rips round Barisic with ease on the right flank and powers a low cross into the danger zone. Livakovic is there in the six-yard box to collect the ball and quash the danger.
Barisic is struggling against Ito... he just can't to keep up with the winger
15:18
Japan knocking
17' - Nagatomo whips a great ball into the box and Maeda looks as though he's going to win the header, but the striker narrowly misses it and Gvardiol clears.
Moments later, Gvardiol fouls Doan in Croatia's half.
15:16
Kramaric gets in behind
16' - Modric's glorious ball from deep finds Kramaric in behind, but the forward has to go wide to keep in the pass.
As he cuts back, he loops a ball into the box but it's a wasteful delivery, far behind Perisic and Petkovic in the area.
15:14
ANOTHER chance for Japan
13' - Japan finally get up the pitch and work a series of quick passes together. Ito fires a low cross into the corridor of uncertainty and Nagatomo slides in at the back post, unable to direct a shot goalwards.
The referee blows for a free-kick, deeming that Nagatomo fouled Juranovic as he slid in.
15:11
Croatia on top
12' - Croatia continue to dominate the ball and squeeze Japan back, who are having a hard time playing out of their half as it stands.
15:09
Close from Perisic!
8' - Perisic breaks away from the Japan defence after a mistake from Tomiyasu, and the Spurs star takes a shot from a tight angle, which is saved by Gonda.
As Japan scramble back in support, Kramaric tries to backheel the ball into the net, but he can't squeeze it through the body of blue shirts, and Japan survive.
Big chance for Croatia there!
15:06
Croatia begin to control possession
5' - It's been all Croatia in possession since the early scare, and Modric, Kovacic and Brozovic are beginning to dominate the midfield.
Japan's runners are working hard to win the ball back though and limit space in the engine room, providing a quick tempo to this match already.
15:03
Taniguchi comes close!
3' - Japan take a corner short a whip a cross into the Croatia box, finding the head of Taniguchi.
The centre-back can't quite find the target as the ball heads behind for a goal kick. BIG chance for Japan in the early stages!
15:02
Japan start well
1' - Maeda steals the ball off Juranovic in Croatia's half and is brought down, winning a free-kick.
The ball in is a good one by Doan but no Japanese shirt is there to meet it.
15:00
KICK OFF
1' - Kramaric gets us underway from kick-off at the Al Janoub Stadium.
14:54
The stage is set!
The crowd buzzes with excitement as the players head out to the pitch for the nation anthems.
Here we go!
14:50
Can Japan rewrite history?
Japan have never made the World Cup quarter-finals after four attempts in the last-16. Are they on the brink of making history?
14:43
Ferdinand: Unity and spirit essential for Japan
BBC pundit Rio Ferdinand was impressed with Japan during the group stage and thinks the giant-killers are confident heading into the last-16.
When asked how Japan managed to top Group E, he said before the match: 'With unity, with spirit, I think the Germany experience when they went behind and they showed they can come back in that game has given them the belief that they can go on and do something this tournament.
'In their moments they've been calm they changed formation at times. They have tactical flex, subs have impacted the game for them and they haven't had to deal with loads of possession. They've been really clinical when they've had the opportunity and they'll be looking for more of that today.'
14:37
Last dance for the Al Janoub Stadium
This is the final match the Al Janoub Stadium will stage at the World Cup. The venue will then be reduced to a capacity of 20,000 at the end of the tournament to make way for community projects.
Let's hope the last match is a cracker!
14:22
Winning the group meant everything for Japan
The passion on display when Japan qualified for the last-16 was something else.
Imagine how emotional post-match scenes could be if they advance to the quarter-finals this afternoon...
14:14
The fans are ready!
The Japanese and Croatian fans are set to cheer their team on in just over 45 minutes.
The stage is almost set!
13:58
Takehiro Tomiyasu comes in
With Kou Itakura suspended, it's a huge day for Takehiro Tomiyasu as he makes his first start of the tournament having returned to full fitness. The Arsenal man will be tasked with stopping Spurs star Ivan Perisic on Croatia's left flank, which could prove an interesting battle.
Bring Tomiyasu in shows the faith Hajime Moriyasu has in his right-back. Let's hope for Japan's sake it proves a fruitful decision...
13:43
TEAM NEWS: Japan
Ritsu Doan comes in for Japan after his fierce goal from distance against Spain.
Japan XI: Gonda; Taniguchi, Tomiyasu, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Morita, Endo; Ito, Kamada, Doan; Maeda.
13:39
TEAM NEWS: Croatia
The enviable midfield of Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic starts again as Zlatko Dalic names a strong side to face Japan.
Croatia XI: Livakovic; Juranovic, Gvardiol, Lovren, Barisic; Kovacic, Brozovic, Modric; Kramaric, Petkovic, Perisic.
13:24
Croatia have arrived
The Croatian team bus has arrived at the Al Janoub Stadium. Teams news should be out fairly soon.
13:13
Doan's strike the second most powerful shot during the group stage
Ritsu Doan's super strike against Spain, which should arguably have been saved by Unai Simon, has been recorded as the second most powerful goal during the group stage in terms of shot strength.
Only Luis Chavez's superb free-kick picked up a faster max speed.
Read Sportsmail's full story below.
12:59
LADYMAN: It’s been a World Cup full of drama and excitement - so of course FIFA will now spoil it with 48 teams in 2026
Japan and Croatia have contributed significantly to the thrills and spills of the World Cup drama so far, knocking out Germany and Belgium from the tournament respectively.
Looking ahead to 2026, Sportsmail's Ian Ladyman is frustrated by FIFA's decision to 'spoil' the competition with 46 teams rather than 32.
Read his full story below.
12:40
Results so far
Croatia have yet to be beaten in the World Cup so far and were at the sparkling best against Canada. Meanwhile, Japan's form has been hard to predict at the tournament, having beaten both Germany and Spain but lost to Costa Rica.
Japan
Japan 2-1 Germany
Japan 0-1 Costa Rica
Japan 2-1 Spain
Croatia
Croatia 0-0 Morocco
Croatia 4-1 Canada
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
12:21
Grinning Qatari fans were taking photos of Miss Croatia at the World Cup because they DISAPPROVED of her outfit
The Qatari fans who took photographs of Miss Croatia whilst grinning during her country's World Cup opener against Morocco are said to have done so because they disapproved of her outfit.
Read Sportsmail's full story below.
12:04
MARK CLATTENBURG: Japan were LUCKY to go through
Beating Germany and Spain at a World Cup is no easy task... and Japan managed to defeat both in the group stage.
Their energy, passion and relentless enthusiasm has been lauded by fans since the opening match against Germany, but Sportsmail's Mark Clattenburg thinks the giant-killers were lucky to go through.
In reference to Japan's winning goal against Spain, the former Premier League referee said: 'I’m not sure the "evidence" was sufficient to say, without a shadow of a doubt, the ball did not go out of play'.
Read Sportsmail's full story below, which includes Clattenburg's views on other group stage matches.
11:48
Croatian fans in good spirits!
After their fairytale run to the final in Russia, Croatia fans will believe anything is possible.
They're certainly in the mood ahead of this afternoon's crucial knockout clash.
11:38
Nagatomo: Japan must harness their samurai spirit to find a way past Croatia
Japan have already won two battles at this World Cup. Unexpected comeback wins against Germany and Spain saw them top the group of death, but a bigger fight lies ahead.
To do what they have never done before and reach the quarter-finals, they must embody the spirit of medieval warriors. That was the message of veteran star Yuto Nagatomo at Sunday’s press conference.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
11:23
All you need to know
With multiple matches to keep track of every day, Sportsmail has made life a little easier for World Cup lovers by creating a guide to each match.
If you're wondering about the kick-off time, where to watch the match, or the stadium it's being played in, here's all you need to know about Japan's clash with Croatia this afternoon.
11:08
Good morning
Hello!
Japan face off against Croatia in the last-16 this afternoon having triumphed against both Spain and Germany in the group stage.
Croatia, who saw off Belgium and narrowly edged through their group last week, head into the knockouts with experience and know-how having made the World Cup final in 2018.
Follow Sportsmail's live blog throughout the day for updates, news and match action as Japan and Croatia bid for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Stay tuned!
English (United States) ·