XtraTime Web desk: Croatia held their nerves in the nerve-wrecking penalty shootout as they see out a comparatively, tough Danish side in the Round of 16 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium after a 1-1 stalemate after 120 minutes of play. The last time they played in this very stadium, they dominated a completely clueless Argentina team, as they romped to a 3-0 victory over the two time World Champion.
The Croatians were unbeaten in the group stage phase, one of the three teams in the entire tournament to do so along with Belgium and Uruguay. The versatile, star studded midfield was expected to dominate the Danes, but their fellow Europeans along with the services of Kasper Schmeichel kept them at bay for 120 minutes.
Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic was his team’s hero, saving penalties from Christian Eriksen, Lasse Schone and Nicolai Jorgensen. After 120 gruelling minutes, they triumphed 3-2 on penalties thanks to Ivan Rakitic’s conversion.
“As I was preparing for this last penalty, I was thinking only about my wife and my daughters,” Rakitic said. “She told me I would be the one who would decide it in the end. This was one of the most emotional games in my career so far.”
Rakitic and his team-mates have the opportunity to equal, or even better, Croatia’s storied 1998 side that finished in third place.
“The France 1998 generation were our idols,” said Rakitic. “They showed us the way we should go, but now we have to forget them. This must not be pressure, we have to enjoy this World Cup. I would like to see kids talk about us in 20 years.”
Star midfielder Luka Modric missed a penalty in the final minutes of extra time as the match ended 1-1, but Rakitic was quick to hail his team-mate’s qualities.
“If Robert Prosinecki says that Luka Modric is the best player in the history of Croatia, then it is so,” Rakitic said. “There is no one in Croatia who is better understood in football than he is.
“But Luka Modric is not only great in the field, he is a great person as well. It’s a pleasure to play against him in Spain, and it’s even better when we’re in the same team. He is our leader.”