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 Hires West Brom Manager Carlos Corberan as Its New Head Coach

15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)
15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)
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Struggling Valencia Hires West Brom Manager Carlos Corberan as Its New Head Coach

15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)
15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)

Relegation-threatened Valencia has hired West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan as its new head coach through June 2027.

Valencia fired Rubén Baraja on Monday after another setback in La Liga left the Spanish club stuck in the relegation zone and sparked renewed protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim.

"Carlos Corberan has been appointed as coach of Valencia CF, signing a contract through to 2027," a statement on Valencia’s website said early Wednesday. "A buy-out option in his contract with West Bromwich Albion was taken up to allow him to leave."

No official figure was given but the compensation for the former Valencia youth player was reported to be in the region of $3 million.

The Spaniard, who also briefly coached Greek side Olympiakos, led West Brom to its current seventh place in England's second-tier Championship. He worked in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr before making his debut as a first-team manager with Doxa Katokopias of Cyprus.

West Brom earlier said in a statement that the 41-year-old Corberan "is set to return to his homeland with the club’s gratitude and best wishes following a two-year tenure at The Hawthorns."

Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill "will oversee first-team duties until further notice."

Valencia’s next Spanish league match will be 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.

Corberan wrote on X that "the decision to leave (West Brom) has been the hardest of my life."

"There will ALWAYS be a place in my heart for this special club and I hope one day I can return to thank you all for your incredible support," he said.