Croatia vs. England score: Highlights from World Cup semifinals

Gabe Fernandez

•
Croatia vs. England score: Highlights from World Cup semifinals image

Three straight matches going to extra time was not enough to slow down Croatia's campaign to become the second-smallest nation to make the World Cup final.

In fact, not even going down one goal within the first five minutes of the game was enough to discourage them. 

LIVE STREAM: Watch the 2018 World Cup on fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Kieran Trippier got the game's scoring started early with a beautiful free kick that no one on Croatia's defense was able to stop. As the game progressed, however, England seemed to sit back — satisfied with their one goal lead — and defend rather than go forward. Croatia took advantage in the form of a barrage of crosses that seemed to have no effect on the Three Lions until the second half of regulation when Perisic's boot knocked in a goal to knot everything up.

When the game seemed poised to reach a third round of penalties for Croatia, Mario Mandzukic decided he was tired of not finishing games in 120 minutes and took advantage of a relaxed England defense to put his team up in the second half of extra time. The Eastern European nation road the lead until the end of the game. 

Croatia will take on France in the World Cup final. Sporting News kept updates on the highlights and score of the match. Here's what you might have missed.

Croatia vs. England live: World Cup highlights

FINAL: Croatia 2, England 1

120' + 3' —  Free kick to England in what will likely be the last opportunity for the Three Lions.

120' + 2' —  England have had one shot on target, and ten off target.

120' —  Four minutes of extra time.

118' —  SUBSTITUTION: Modric OFF, Badelj ON (Croatia)

116' —  Free kick to England.

115' —  SUBSTITUTION: Mandzukic OFF, Ćorluka ON (Croatia)

113' —  Mario Mandzukic down.

112' —  SUBSTITUTION: Kyle Walker OFF, Jamie Vardy ON

109' —  GOAL CROATIA (2-1)!!  MARIO MANDZUKIC TAKES THE CHIPPED HEADER BEFORE ALL OF ENGLAND REACTS AND SLOTS IT RIGHT PAST JORDAN PICKFORD!

108' —  Almost from the training ground! Modric passes it quickly from a corner, but Perisic puts it wide.

106' —  We are back yet again!

EXTRA HALF TIME: Croatia 1, England 1

105' + 2' —  PICKFORD DENIES CROATIA! The English keeper runs off his line to stop Mandzukic's attempt at goal, knocking him to the ground as a result. The Croatian striker is down receiving medical attention.

105' —  Two minutes of stoppage time.

102' — SUBSTITUTION: Kramaric ON, Rebic OFF

101' —  Free kick given to Croatia.

99' —  Great save from Croatia! John Stones appears to have a free header and goal, but Croatia's Vrysalko clears it off the line!

98' —  Dele Alli starts an England attack that leads to a Eric Dier shot-turned-corner.

96' —  SUBSTITUTION: Dier ON, Hemderson OFF. Sub made right after a free kick from England.

95' —  YELLOW CARD: Rebic (Croatia)

94' —  SUBSTITUTION: Pivaric ON, Strinic OFF (Croatia)

93' —  Croatia's Strinic is down with an injury.

91' —  SUBSTITUTION: Danny Rose ON, Ashley Young OFF

90' —  And we're back...again!

END OF REGULATION: Croatia 1, England 1

90' + 3' —  Croatia is headed to its third consecutive extra time period. England will be there too.

90' + 2' —  Kane was waiting for it, and was fed beautifully, but he sends it wide left.

90' + 1' —  Free kick for England, just outside the box.

90' —  Three minutes of injury time.

89' —  Lovren with an attempt from outside the box that sails quite high.

87' —  Harry Kane feeds a leading pass to Jesse Lingard but the ball moved too fast and he couldn't catch it.

84' —  Croatia almost takes advantage of Pickford coming off his line, but the shot went wide.

83' —  So close for Croatia! A chipped pass to Mandzukic gives the striker a shot on goal, but Pickford punches it out.

79' —  Jordan Henderson's shot from outside of the box sails over the bar trying to catch Subasic off his line.

78' —  Jesse Lingard almost with the tie-breaking goal but the shot rolls just wide!

76' —  Croatia just dominating England from the wide areas and getting all of the crosses in the box. England clearing when necessary — which is always.

74' —  SUBSTITUTION: Marcus Rashford ON, Raheem Sterling OFF

72' —  Croatia almost took the lead! Ivan Perisic had the opportunity at goal but his shot bounced off the post and the rebounding shot landed back in Jordan Pickford's arms. Croatia conitnues to be in control.

69' —  Immediate counter from England and Raheem Sterling almost gets a chance at goal but his last touch was too strong and it went out.

68' —  GOAL CROATIA (1-1)!  Perisic rises above the rest in the English box and knocks the diagonal cross in with his boot to tie the game up.

65' —  Multiple chances for Croatia at goal, but England's defense deflected all of them. Kyle Walker took a direct shot in a not-so-great area in one of the deflections.

61' —  Rakitic gets a one-timer shot but the ball goes well over the bar.

57' —  Trippier crosses it into the box from open play, but Lovren is there to deflect the ball away from a dangerously diving Kane.

56' —  Ball deflects from Kane, to Sterling and then to Lingard, who fires it on goal, but it gets deflected out.

52' —  YELLOW CARD: Kyle Walker (England)

48' —  YELLOW CARD: Ante Rebić (Croatia)

46' —  And we're back!

HALFTIME: Croatia 0, England 1

45' +1' —  Croatian free kick yields nothing. Players going into the locker room for the half, but the VAR room is checking for a penalty.

45' —  Ivan Rakitic intercepts Pickford's miskick, kicks it up to himself, but loses the ball in England's box while waiting for support.

36' —  Dele Alli leads a counter attack to Croatia's box. He dinks a pass to Jesse Lingard who is unable to convert on the second goal.

33' —  Croatia drove fast down the field and a longball almost reached Rebic who was running down the sideline. Ashley Young was there to clear the ball out for a corner kick which has resulted in nothing.

32' —  First big save for Pickford! Croatia drives to England's box and tries to crosses into the box before the ball landed onto the feet of Perisic, who fired a shot right at the English keeper.

30' —  What a chance for England! Lingard feeds the ball to Harry Kane who had a short shot on goal. Subasic was there to knock it out and knock out Kane's second opportunity at goal from the rebound, which was determined to be offside.

27' —  Lovren with another foul on an English player outside the box. England had a free kick wide, but Subasic was able to come in with the save.

24' —  Raheem Sterling has been an absolute handful for the Croatian defense. His runs have pulled everyone in his direction and even though he hasn't directly threatened a shot at goal, he's been forcing the defenders to run.

19' —  Ivan Perisic takes a shot from outside the box and it goes just wide of the net. Croatian players surrounded the ref for a corner kick appeal because it appeared to be deflected off of Kyle Walker's boot, but it was a goal kick.

14' —  Header wide from an England corner.

5' —  GOAL ENGLAND (1-0)!  Trippier scores his first free kick goal of the tournament to give the Three Lions a dream start in the semifinal.

4' —  Dele Alli brought down just outside the box for a great chance for England to score at the top of the box.

1' —  And we're off!

Match Lineups:

Croatia:  Subasic, Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic, Rakitic, Brozovic, Rebic, Modric, Perisic, Mandzukic.
Subs: Livakovic, Corluka, Kovacic, Kramaric, Jedvaj, Bradaric, Caleta-Car, Badelj, Pjaca, Pivaric, Lovre Kalinic.

England:  Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier, Alli, Henderson, Lingard, Young, Sterling, Kane.
Subs: Butland, Rose, Dier, Vardy, Welbeck, Cahill, Jones, Delph, Rashford, Loftus-Cheek, Alexander-Arnold, Pope.

Gabe Fernandez