Croatia are through and Tottenham winger Ivan Perisic became the nation’s all-time top scorer at major tournaments.
In Tuesday’s last 16 match, Croatia reached the next round via a penalty shoot-out win and will face either Brazil or South Korea.
Daizen Maeda put Japan ahead in the first half of normal time, but then Spurs man Perisic levelled the score in the 55th minute completely against the run of play, for his tenth goal at the World Cup and European championships.
That moved him ahead of Croatia and former Arsenal and Real Madrid favourite Davor Suker, just when his country was looking like they could have used such a striker.
The goal also meant Perisic has scored in the past three World Cups, matching a feat only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Xherdan Shaqiri can boast.
talkSPORT commentator Nigel Adderley said: “Just when you thought the Croats were out of ideas, they come up with that. That’s typical of this World Cup.”
Co-commentator Tony Cascarino added: “Well it’s come out of the blue from absolutely nothing!
“A first time whipped in ball is on the head of Perisic, it’s a great header by the way. First time he’s really come off the touchline and he just puts it into the bottom corner.”
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Perisic, who joined Tottenham on a free transfer from Inter Milan in the summer, is now on 33 goals for his country in 119 games.
That puts him level in the Croatian record books with Mario Mandzukic, while only Suker lays ahead on 45.
And if that isn’t impressive enough, since Perisic made his Croatia debut in 2012, only Cristiano Ronaldo can boast more goals and assists (21) than Perisic (17) of players at the World Cup and Euros.
But that paled in significance compared to what his teammates managed, holding their nerve in the dreaded shoot-out to reach the quarter-final.
Japan were poor from 12 yards and Croatia triumphed 3-1, with goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saving three spot kicks.
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