Croatia have crushed England’s World Cup dream with a 2-1 extra-time victory in their semi-final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Gareth Southgate kept faith with the same side which has taken England to the semi-finals, naming an unchanged starting XI.
An energy-sapping epic went the distance after Ivan Perisic had canceled out Kieran Trippier’s early opener, with both sides missing chances to put the game to bed before the additional 30 minutes.
More chances following in extra time, but it was Mario Mandzukic who made himself the hero with a 109th-minute winner to send Croatia into the final of the World Cup for the first time ever, where they will face France on Sunday.
Croatia’s opponents in Moscow on Sunday will be France, who progressed to the final with a 1-0 win against Belgium in their semi-final at the St Petersburg Stadium on Tuesday.
England, meanwhile, are condemned to a third-placed playoff against Belgium on Saturday having fallen to a fourth consecutive semi-final defeat.
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