An Inevitable Shootout and the Theatre of Nerves

There are matches where the spectre of penalties begins to loom long before the final whistle. This last-16 encounter between Croatia and Denmark was one of those – its trajectory toward the shootout seemed written midway through the second half, perhaps even earlier. And yet, despite the sense of inevitability, the tie might have been decided by a single moment from the spot in open play.

As the second period of extra time limped to its conclusion, Luka Modrić, whose influence had been expertly stifled for much of the match, finally found a seam in Denmark’s disciplined backline. His through ball released Ante Rebić, who rounded goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and was then brought down by Mathias Jørgensen. It was the most clear-cut penalty of the tournament – and the weight of its significance fell upon Modrić.

Memories of Euro 2008 resurfaced. Back then, Modrić had missed from the spot in a quarter-final shootout against Turkey. Here, history threatened to repeat itself. His penalty lacked conviction, struck too centrally, and Schmeichel – heroic throughout the night – made the save. The collective Croatian sigh was palpable.

But Modrić would have his redemption. In the ensuing shootout, although his kick was again nervy – low, straight, and nearly stopped – it just slipped beneath Schmeichel’s boot. Eventually, it fell to Ivan Rakitić to deliver the decisive blow, which he did with unerring composure. Croatia were through to the quarter-finals, set to meet Russia, though not without scars.

The shootout mirrored the match: short on flair, heavy on tension. Christian Eriksen’s effort set the tone for Denmark, his kick tipped onto the post by Danijel Subašić. The Croatian keeper, now draped in national gratitude, would save further attempts from Lasse Schöne and Nicolai Jørgensen. Schmeichel, valiant as ever, denied Milan Badelj and Josip Pivarić, but could not stop the inevitable. Subašić was hoisted into the air by his jubilant teammates – and dropped, in a moment of comic relief fitting for an otherwise joyless game. Manager Zlatko Dalić confirmed, with a smile, that he was unharmed. “He was our hero tonight,” Dalić affirmed.

Curiously, the tie had sparked into life at the outset with an exchange of goals that hinted at a classic. It was, in fact, a false dawn. Within four minutes, Denmark capitalized on one of Jonas Knudsen’s notorious long throws. The ball pinballed to Mathias Jørgensen, who toe-poked a weak effort past a slow-reacting Subašić. Croatia responded instantly. Rebić found Šime Vrsaljko on the overlap, whose cross created confusion. Henrik Dalsgaard’s clearance struck Andreas Christensen in the face and fell kindly to Mario Mandžukić, who spun and finished. Slapstick defending, swift replies – it promised much.

But that chaotic opening proved to be an outlier. What followed was a grinding, attritional affair in which both sides fell back on their most cautious instincts. Croatia, so fluid and incisive in the group stage – dismantling Nigeria, Argentina, and Iceland – seemed frozen by the weight of expectation. Their attacking fluency was conspicuously absent. Aside from a first-half double save by Schmeichel to deny Rakitić and Rebić, and a glancing header from Dejan Lovren, they offered little until Modrić’s late penalty.

 

Denmark, for their part, played to type. Åge Hareide had promised a “different Denmark,” but this was more of the same: disciplined, risk-averse, and determined to neutralize rather than create. Eriksen was their lone creative force, and although he threatened fleetingly – most notably with a delicate cross that clipped the frame of the goal – his influence was otherwise limited. His missed penalty in the shootout capped a subdued evening.

“It was a wonderful effort but this is the brutality of football,” Hareide reflected. “Kasper was fantastic, but it wasn’t enough. Penalties are like war – adrenaline, stress – it’s proven.”

Schmeichel, magnanimous in defeat, added: “If you dare to take a penalty, you have my respect. We win and lose as a team.”

Croatia survived – just. Their journey continues, but this was no emphatic statement. Instead, it was a test of nerves, a night where courage mattered more than quality. In the end, perhaps that was the most fitting tribute to the raw tension of knockout football.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar