Croatia Beats Brazil on Penalties in World Cup Quarterfinals 

(FromL) Croatia's defender #22 Josip Juranovic, Croatia's defender #06 Dejan Lovren, Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric, Croatia's midfielder #13 Nikola Vlasic, Croatia's goalkeeper #12 Ivo Grbic, Croatia's defender #05 Martin Erlic, Croatia's forward #17 Ante Budimir, Croatia's forward #18 Mislav Orsic and Croatia's midfielder #04 Ivan Perisic celebrate with their supporters after they won the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final football match between Croatia and Brazil at Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on December 9, 2022. (AFP)
(FromL) Croatia's defender #22 Josip Juranovic, Croatia's defender #06 Dejan Lovren, Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric, Croatia's midfielder #13 Nikola Vlasic, Croatia's goalkeeper #12 Ivo Grbic, Croatia's defender #05 Martin Erlic, Croatia's forward #17 Ante Budimir, Croatia's forward #18 Mislav Orsic and Croatia's midfielder #04 Ivan Perisic celebrate with their supporters after they won the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final football match between Croatia and Brazil at Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on December 9, 2022. (AFP)
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Croatia Beats Brazil on Penalties in World Cup Quarterfinals 

(FromL) Croatia's defender #22 Josip Juranovic, Croatia's defender #06 Dejan Lovren, Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric, Croatia's midfielder #13 Nikola Vlasic, Croatia's goalkeeper #12 Ivo Grbic, Croatia's defender #05 Martin Erlic, Croatia's forward #17 Ante Budimir, Croatia's forward #18 Mislav Orsic and Croatia's midfielder #04 Ivan Perisic celebrate with their supporters after they won the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final football match between Croatia and Brazil at Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on December 9, 2022. (AFP)
(FromL) Croatia's defender #22 Josip Juranovic, Croatia's defender #06 Dejan Lovren, Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric, Croatia's midfielder #13 Nikola Vlasic, Croatia's goalkeeper #12 Ivo Grbic, Croatia's defender #05 Martin Erlic, Croatia's forward #17 Ante Budimir, Croatia's forward #18 Mislav Orsic and Croatia's midfielder #04 Ivan Perisic celebrate with their supporters after they won the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final football match between Croatia and Brazil at Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on December 9, 2022. (AFP)

Croatia knocked Brazil out of the World Cup on Friday, beating the five-time champions 4-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals for the second straight time. 

Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved a penalty attempt by Rodrygo and Marquinhos later hit the post. 

The match had finished 1-1 after extra time, with both goals coming in the additional 30 minutes. Neymar scored late in the first half of extra time to give Brazil the lead, but Croatia equalized when Bruno Petkovic scored in the 117th. 

Neymar’s goal moved him into a tie with Pelé as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 77 goals. 

Croatia will next face either Argentina or the Netherlands to try to return to the World Cup final four years after losing the title to France. 

Five of Croatia's last six matches at World Cups have gone to extra time, including in its penalty shootout win over Japan in the round of 16 in Qatar. The team has been successful in eight of its last 10 knockout matches at the tournament. 

Brazil was trying to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2014. The team hadn’t made it to the last four since hosting the tournament eight years ago, when the Selecao was embarrassed by Germany 7-1. 

Brazil was trying to defeat a European opponent in the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time since the 2002 final against Germany, when the team won for the last time. 



Struggling Valencia Fires Coach Rubén Baraja

Alaves head coach Eduardo Coudet (R) and Valencia head coach Ruben Baraja hug prior to the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Valencia CF and Deportivo Alaves, in Valencia, Spain, 22 December 2024.  EPA/KAI FÖRSTERLING
Alaves head coach Eduardo Coudet (R) and Valencia head coach Ruben Baraja hug prior to the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Valencia CF and Deportivo Alaves, in Valencia, Spain, 22 December 2024. EPA/KAI FÖRSTERLING
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Struggling Valencia Fires Coach Rubén Baraja

Alaves head coach Eduardo Coudet (R) and Valencia head coach Ruben Baraja hug prior to the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Valencia CF and Deportivo Alaves, in Valencia, Spain, 22 December 2024.  EPA/KAI FÖRSTERLING
Alaves head coach Eduardo Coudet (R) and Valencia head coach Ruben Baraja hug prior to the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Valencia CF and Deportivo Alaves, in Valencia, Spain, 22 December 2024. EPA/KAI FÖRSTERLING

Valencia fired coach Rubén Baraja on Monday after another setback in La Liga left the club stuck in the relegation zone and sparked renewed protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim.
Valencia said it “decided to bring to an end Baraja’s time as first team coach” following a 2-2 home draw against Alaves on Sunday.
Valencia needed a stoppage-time equalizer to salvage the result that left the club second to last in the standings.
The home draw prompted more criticism from fans who have long complained about the administration of Lim, whom they accuse of using the club only as a business endeavor.
Baraja, a former Valencia player, took over the club in 2023. His replacement was not immediately announced, The Associated Press reported.
“The club would like to publicly thank Baraja for the passion, dedication and commitment that he has shown from the first to the last day of his tenure,” Valencia said in a statement. “The results have required a decision that has been very difficult to make.”
Valencia's next league match was against Real Madrid at home on Jan. 3 in a game postponed from October because of the deadly floods that hit Valencia.
Valencia is winless in its last four matches.