Croatia defeats Japan in a penalty shootout, advances to the quarterfinals
After 120 minutes of play, Croatia and Japan were locked at 1-1 and needed the tournament's first penalty kick shootout to decide a winner.
In the shootout, Croatian goalie Dominik Livakovic stepped up in a big, big way. He saved the first two kicks from Japan to give his team a huge advantage. He then saved a third on Japan's 4th attempt. Croatia made three out of their first four attempts to seal it.
Mario Pasalic converted the winning penalty to seal the 1-1 (3-1) victory.
In the 43rd minute, Japan's Daizen Maeda converted Ritsu Doan's corner for the opener. The Samurai Blue went into the half up 1-0. Croatia answered in the 55th minute through an Ivan Perisic header. The match headed to extra time tied at one after neither side converted again.
Croatia were prolific in extra time in 2018: advancing on penalties in the World Cup Round of 16 and quarterfinal. They won their 2018 semifinal match in extra time. Croatia finished second in the 2018 World Cup, losing to France in the final.
Japan was seeking its first-ever men's World Cup quarterfinals after winning Group E with notable victories over Germany and Spain.
Next up: Tournament favorites Brazils take on South Korea in our second Round of 16 match of the day. The winner will face Croatia in the next round.
Shootout: Japan vs Croatia
After 90 minutes of regulation and two 15-minute periods of extra time, Croatia and Japan's Round of 16 match will be decided by a shootout.
How it works: Each team will was given the chance to take five penalty kicks, and whoever scored the most wins. Here's a look at how the shootout went down:
Japan
Kick 1: ❌ Takumi Minamino
Kick 2: ❌ Kaoru Mitoma
Kick 3: ⚽️ Takuna Asano
Kick 4: ❌ Maya Yoshida
Kick 5: Not needed
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Croatia
Kick 1: ⚽️ Nikola Vlasic
Kick 2: ⚽️ Marcelo Brozovic
Kick 3: ❌ Marko Livaja
Kick 4: ⚽️ Mario Pasalic
Kick 5: Not needed
Extra time ends, and Croatia and Japan are headed for penalty kicks
It's the end of two 15-minute periods, which gave Croatia and Japan extra time to take the lead and advance to the quarterfinals. However, since neither teams scored, and the score remains tied at 1-1, the outcome of this match will be decided via penalty shootouts.
Each team will get to take five penalty kicks. Whoever scores the most wins. If they tie, we go to sudden death.
Croatia has ended strongly in the last few penalty kicks that they have taken. Check this out:
Second period of extra time is underway
The second 15-minute period of extra time has kicked off in Croatia vs Japan.
It's still 1-1 after the first period of extra time
This 1-1 stalemate between Japan and Croatia continues.
After one 15-minute period of extra time, the two teams remain tied. If it stays that way after the second session of extra time, we'll head to a penalty kick shootout.
Croatian captain Luka Modric was subbed off about halfway through the first period of extra time. So if this match goes to penalty kicks, he won't be available.
Extra time begins in Croatia vs Japan
The Samurai Blue and the Vatreni have kicked off extra time.
It's the first match of the tournament to need more than the 90 minutes of regulation play to decide the winner.
Here's how this will work: Because neither team could find the winner before the end of full-time, they'll now play two 15-minute periods of extra time.
If still tied after that, the teams will take penalty kicks to decide who moves on to the quarterfinals.
Croatia and Japan are tied at 1-1 and heading to extra time
We're all tied after the 90 minutes in Croatia and Japan's Round of 16 match.
Japan had the lead going into the 2nd half thanks to some relentless high pressing and a goal from Daizen Maeda in the 43rd minute.
But Croatia battled back in the second period and got the equalizer. In the 55th minute, Ivan Perisic scored on a booming header to tie the game 1-1.
What happens now: Because neither team could find the winner before the end of full-time, they'll now play two 15-minute periods of extra time. If still tied after that, then the teams will take penalty kicks to decide who moves on to the quarterfinals.
England's Raheem Sterling leaves World Cup after intruders break into family home
From CNN Sport staff
England soccer star Raheem Sterling is returning home from the World Cup in Qatar after intruders broke into his family home.
Surrey Police said it is investigating a report of a burglary at an address in Oxshott, Leatherhead, after the occupants returned home from an international trip, and contacted police just before 9 p.m. on Saturday to report that a number of items of jewelry, including watches, had been stolen.
"Officers attended the address later that night and returned to speak to the occupants this morning," said a police statement. "At this time it remains unclear on which date the property was stolen and establishing this forms a key part of our investigation."
"Enquiries into the full circumstances remain ongoing and officers will look at all available evidence including any CCTV opportunities," it added.
Sterling is said to be "shaken" and "concerned" about the well-being of his children after the break-in, an individual with knowledge of the matter said, adding that the Chelsea forward is "focusing on being at home and supporting his family."
On Sunday, Sterling was absent from England's 3-0 victory over Senegal with England manager Gareth Southgate later saying the 27-year-old was dealing with a "family matter."
"I spent a lot of time with Raheem this morning," Southgate told reporters on Sunday. "Of course, it's not ideal for the group ahead of a big game but it pales into insignificance — the individual is more important than the group in those moments."
CNN has contacted England's Football Association for comment.
Sterling played in England's first two games in the group stages of the World Cup and scored in the team's 6-2 victory against Iran.
Why is Croatia's Joško Gvardiol wearing a mask?
From CNN's Ben Morse
Joško Gvardiol from Croatia has been wearing a mask, due to a nose and eye problem from a head clash for his club RB Leipzig in Germany.
Other soccer players have also been spotted wearing the protective measure: South Korea's Son Heung-min has been covering his eyes and nose after the 30-year-old suffered a fractured eye socket during Tottenham’s win against Marseille in the Champions League on Nov. 1.
Tunisia’s Ellyes Skhiri broke his cheekbone in October for FC Köln in Germany, so he also wore a mask that covered his nose and sides of his face.
These types of masks have been common over recent years to protect players recovering from facial injuries. Earlier this season, Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger wore a similar mask after he took a knee to the face while playing for Real Madrid against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
Over recent years, we’ve seen others, such as Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Victor Osimhen and Sergio Ramos all wear masks on the pitch.
