'Happily tired' Croatia are now in a state of limbo, says coach Dalic

DOHA: Croatia can be hugely proud of eliminating tournament favourites Brazil on penalties to reach the World Cup last four but they are now in a state of limbo, coach Zlatko Dalic said on Saturday (Dec 10).

Croatia, runners-up in 2018, stunned Brazil by coming back with a late equaliser in the second half of extra time on Friday before knocking them out in the penalty shootout after two Brazilians failed to convert their spot kicks.

"When you kick out of the World Cup a team like Brazil which surely were the biggest favourites, then you must be both happy and proud," Dalic told reporters after receiving applause from Croatian media representatives when he entered the news conference room.

"I am tired but happily tired and ... one should enjoy this moment, but not too much as today we already have to start to prepare for Argentina."

Croatia, with a population of just over 3.5 million, have been punching above their weight on the international stage for years but Friday's result was among the biggest upsets in the tournament given Brazil's recent form and Dalic's ageing squad that had also needed penalties to beat Japan in the last 16.

"At this moment, we are not anywhere, neither here nor there," Dalic said. "If we crashed out of the group stage, we would have gotten over it, if we were eliminated in the quarter-finals we would have gotten over it too.

"But we have come to this stage and now what? Neither here nor there. That is why we have to do all we can to achieve something more because it would be a great shame if after all these worries, efforts and the sacrifices we have made we don't go a step further."

Croatia will now face Argentina, who also needed penalties in a bad-tempered game to overcome the Netherlands after