After Huntelaar came on, Croatia immediately made corresponding changes.
Pranjic was substituted off, and Ćorluka came on as a substitute, continuing to strengthen the defense on the flanks.
At the same time, Bešić also had Brozović and Kovacic warm up, preparing to strengthen midfield control in the final stages.
Seeing Croatia's response, Netherlands Head Coach Van Gaal continued to have a headache.
He knew this was a necessary tactical move, but he still held a glimmer of hope, perhaps Croatia would be slower to make changes?
Perhaps they could still be given some attacking opportunities?
But none of that happened; Bešić's tactical adjustments were cautious, leaving no chance for himself.
Bang!
After Huntelaar came on, his performance was also very active.
He wanted to prove through this game that he was more outstanding than others.
However, his physical stamina was indeed abundant, but it was not enough to break through Croatia's defense.
Moreover, his running routes were monotonous, and his teammates did not offer much support, which also led to the situation remaining deadlocked.
It can be said that the current Netherlands team was playing quite chaotically.
They wanted to attack, but they were also afraid of Croatia launching a counterattack and completely killing the game.
"Only twenty minutes left!" Krauchivich's nervous voice trembled: "Hold on!"
Although the situation was still in their favor and the tempo control was very good.
But he still couldn't stop worrying!
In the VIP box, Davor Suker and others also held their breath.
The more this kind of moment, the more nervous they became.
It was the final moment.
With the last 20 minutes remaining, they no longer hoped for Croatia to continue attacking and score more goals; they just wanted to calmly end the game and take them into the final.
This was better than anything!
However, compared to these old guys, the Croatian players clearly had different ideas.
These audacious guys had been creating new records ever since they entered the top-tier.
For them, there was only the most suitable choice in the current situation, no concept of a mandatory defensive stance.
To this end, during their possession, Croatia's central and attacking midfielders were still tentatively looking for opportunities.
Compared to slowly wasting time, they preferred to decisively kill the game!
Snap!
Modrić transferred the ball to the flank, then ran a few steps forward to a new receiving spot.
From this position, he observed for a moment, finally locking his target on Mandžukić.
Compared to Suker, Mandžukić received less defensive attention from Netherlands, so this could be exploited to shift attention to Mandžukić, and then free up Suker.
Even if Suker couldn't be freed up, they could still create threats in other positions.
Thinking of this, Modrić decisively called for a pass, and then immediately chipped the ball into the penalty area, meeting the ball.
"Modrić's chip, was the pass a bit too hasty?"
Krauchivich was somewhat puzzled.
Modrić's pass felt a bit too deliberate, with not much room for adjustment, and it wasn't a safe pass either.
This pass could easily lead to Netherlands winning the ball.
However, Mandžukić looked at the arc of the ball, and his calm heart began to beat violently.
It was a long time ago!
When he first joined Dinamo Zagreb, Mandžukić was still a pure center forward.
He was known for his headers and was the backbone of the team's goals!
Although in subsequent development, he gradually evolved into a false nine pivot, gaining more opportunities to hold the ball.
However, Mandžukić was not happy; this was a reluctant choice, and a choice for survival in professional football.
If he were to choose himself, he would, of course, want to be a team's finisher, aiming for goals.
However, he had to compromise; only by doing so could he be accepted by these talented teammates and become a part of their collective.
Therefore, when he saw this kind of pass again, his calm inner world began to stir.
The speed of this long pass was not fast, but the height was high, and the trajectory was very gentle.
Both attacking and defending players could easily judge the landing spot, but this kind of ball seemed to convey some message to him.
"Jump! Mario!"
Modrić suddenly roared.
Suker also instantly pulled wide to the left, helping Mandžukić create an environment for an aerial duel.
Mandžukić quickly sprinted towards the landing spot, and at the moment he arrived, he jumped off one foot.
His entire body lifted upwards, his gaze always fixed on the ball.
Although his body was in a sideways stance, he was still confident he could head the ball.
"Watch out!!"
Perisic shouted from the side.
Mandžukić caught a glimpse in his peripheral vision; the Netherlands Goalkeeper seemed to have come out, he had already jumped, intending to punch the ball away with both fists.
At this critical moment, Mandžukić headed the ball.
But he didn't flick his head; even if he did, it would easily be blocked by the aggressively advancing Netherlands Goalkeeper.
Therefore, he tilted his head back, letting the ball touch his forehead and bounce off again.
It formed a parabola, falling towards the Netherlands goal.
"Mario Mandžukić!!"
Krauchivich suddenly stood up.
He stared wide-eyed as the ball fell towards the Netherlands goal, his entire heart pounding.
He knew very well that if this was a goal, then it would be the signal to kill the game.
Could Mandžukić do it?
This ball looked like it!
So much like it!
Its falling trajectory was heading straight for the goal, and just as it neared the goal, with a 'ding' sound, the ball hit the crossbar and bounced out.
"FXXK!!!"
Mandžukić, having landed, couldn't help but curse.
The feeling I finally found, just like that, hit the crossbar so cleanly.
Just as he was about to chase the rebound, someone had already appeared at the landing spot ahead of him.
In a red and white checkered jersey, he soared into the air with his back to the goal, the large number 9 clearly visible on his back.
"Suker!—"
Mandžukić couldn't help but exclaim.
Under the gaze of countless people, Suker had already leaped into the air, his arms swinging wide, his legs crossing and swinging, his left foot fiercely striking the ball in mid-air.
The instep of his foot solidly connected with the ball, and Suker even hooked his toe slightly to prevent the embarrassing problem of the ball not being kept down.
The ball, compressed by the force, flew towards the Netherlands goal again, and under the gaze of tens of thousands of fans, it pierced the Netherlands goal like a sharp sword, pushing the net up.
Swish!
The ball was in the net again!
Croatia led by three goals!
The moment Suker landed, the Referee immediately blew his whistle and pointed to the center circle.
Goal valid!
Croatia's third goal appeared!
"Goal! It's over! The game is over!"
"Leading by three goals, how can Netherlands turn this around?"
"There's less than 15 minutes left, Netherlands can't come back, victory belongs to us!"
Krauchivich clenched his fists, hoarsely screaming: "We're going to Maracanã!"
Maracanã Stadium, Brazil's largest stadium, and also the stage for this World Cup final!
From 1998 to 2014, a full sixteen years, spanning three World Cups appearances, Croatia was finally going to break the shackles of the semi-finals and enter the final.
This was an incredibly exciting moment for them!
This was a historic moment!
Not just Krauchivich, but all Croatian fans in the stadium were boiling with cheers.
In the VIP box, Davor Suker and others were even more excited, embracing each other, shouting, cheering, and celebrating non-stop.
It was as if they had scored the goal themselves.
After losing to France in the 1998 World Cup semi-final, that haunting match tormented them for sixteen years.
Which part was not handled well?
Which pass went wrong?
Which defense led to the loss?
Even after sixteen years, the images of that match were clearly etched in their minds.
It was a reluctant defeat!
It was also a match they fought with all their might but failed to win!
And now, although it wasn't them who broke through, seeing this Croatia team about to enter the World Cup final, they too felt a surge of excitement and exhilaration from the bottom of their hearts.
On the field, Suker had already rushed to the corner flag to celebrate.
His expression was excited, his arms wide open, waving them continuously, but he still couldn't vent the surge of emotion within him.
The appearance of the third goal meant that Netherlands had been completely suppressed, even collapsing.
This meant they were incredibly close to the World Cup final.
Suker had won many championships; he had won the Champions League multiple times and was also the player with the most Ballon d'Or awards in history.
But none of these awards were as exciting as this moment.
Because this was also a brand new honor for Suker, and it was the most essential honor for Suker.
"That scissor kick! Awesome!"
Mandžukić also fiercely tackled Suker to the ground, cheering and shouting excitedly.
Although it wasn't his goal, which was a bit regrettable, when he saw Suker appear at the landing spot, he knew the game was about to end.
Suker would not disappoint them.
And it was true, Suker scored that goal in an inspiring and incredibly beautiful way!
This goal completely knocked Netherlands out of the World Cup.
It can be said that this goal was not just a simple goal, but the final straw that broke Netherlands.
At this moment in the stadium, the Netherlands fans had already quieted down.
Many even had red eyes, with tears on the verge of falling.
They were already three goals down, and there was less than 15 minutes left.
They knew how close they were to elimination at this moment.
The World Cup had been going on for nearly a month; they had reached this point through one hard-fought battle after another, intending to embrace an even more glorious future.
But at this moment, Croatia delivered a heavy blow!
Before long, crying began to fill the stands of the Netherlands fans, a stark contrast to the vibrant Croatian fans on the opposite side.
It's always been about the victor and the vanquished; the cruel World Cup knockout stage was even more concrete at this moment.
"Ha~~~~"
Sneijder stood with his hands on his hips, watching the Croatian players finish their celebration and return to their own half.
He knew that he shouldn't have such emotions at this time; he should strive harder and look for possibilities to turn the game around.
But he was also a veteran.
His experience was telling him that no matter what, they couldn't come back.
Even if he tried to overturn his own judgment, he still found nothing.
His disheartened mind made his body even more exhausted!
His fighting spirit was almost gone.
Sneijder turned to look at his other teammates and found that they all had the same expression, their faces filled with disappointment.
Clearly, everyone knew that at this moment, failure was incredibly close to them.
"What a headache!"
Inside the hotel where Germany was staying, Lahm couldn't help but shake his head.
The others were also silent.
Anyone who could still smile after watching this game must have a huge heart.
Even an optimist like Muller was frowning tightly at this moment.
Was Netherlands weak?
No, they weren't!
But Croatia showed an extremely strong suppressive force in this game.
This suppressive force even prevented Netherlands from launching a single effective counterattack.
Three goals scored, and not a single goal conceded; Netherlands had a few counterattack opportunities, but they were all neutralized by Croatia.
This kind of game performance and form was the most worrying point.
Now, Croatia had a high probability of securing the victory, and their next match would be against Argentina.
Messi-led Argentina was also very strong, and as the sole South American representative, their fighting spirit was also very high.
This would definitely be a big battle!
But even if they defeated Argentina, they would still face an even stronger Croatia, and at this moment, their hearts were filled with anxiety.
Löw also stopped picking his nose; his expression was serious.
After watching this game, the most headache-inducing thing for him was that he couldn't find any entry point.
Croatia's tactics were seamless, with no weak points to be found.
If they were to go head-to-head with Croatia, the result would not be much different from before.
After all, in the previous European Cup, Germany went head-to-head with Croatia and ultimately failed.
He had to consider this point.
Germany's performance in this World Cup was strong, but in recent international tournaments, their record against Croatia was not good.
This kind of thing would create psychological pressure, causing problems in their game performance.
"Forget it, let's just play the next game well first!"
Just as Löw was thinking this, someone suddenly shouted.
"Another goal?"
Löw suddenly looked up; he saw the Croatian players celebrating on the television.
Soon, he saw the entire goal in slow motion.
A cross from Perisic on the wing, Suker pulled back to the far post, but the goal appeared at the near post.
Mandžukić headed it in at the near post, precisely flicking the ball to the back post, where it rebounded into the net.
The fourth goal in the 88th minute!
The game was completely over!
At this moment, all the Croatian fans in the stadium were singing loudly.
They were already celebrating the victory!
Victory belongs to Croatia!
Victory belongs to Croatia!
Victory belongs to Croatia!
Amidst repeated cheers, the game restarted.
However, this time, Netherlands had basically lost their fighting spirit.
They also knew that the remaining few minutes were simply not enough to turn the tide.
Croatia was also defending steadily, and as time drew closer to the end, Krauchivich became more and more excited.
"Last minute!"
Krauchivich shouted.
In the final moments, Netherlands launched a fierce attack, and this attack was effective, or rather, Croatia intentionally left some channels open.
And Robben also scored a goal at this moment.
This goal helped Netherlands save some face, but it was not enough to turn the game around.
However, it was also a kind of signal.
After all, Croatia still had to play in the final, so there was no need to fight to the death with Netherlands at this point.
And the appearance of this goal was also the last interlude.
The moment the Referee blew the whistle, the entire Corinthians Arena was filled with the cheers of Croatian fans.
The substitutes, who had already stood up, rushed onto the field in a frenzy.
Van Stoyak led the way, raising his hands high, celebrating as he entered the field.
However, he ran slowly and was soon overtaken by his players.
Bešić also couldn't keep calm; he repeatedly waved his fists towards the stands, roaring again and again.
This was the first time he had been so excited.
But there was nothing he could do; facing this historic moment, he couldn't remain calm either.
Moreover, this was a legend they had created with their own hands.
"This is a historic moment! A full sixteen years! After three World Cups, we finally achieved this breakthrough in Brazil!"
"Suker! They are the generation that created the legend! They can always do this!"
"When we saw them at Dinamo Zagreb, we believed that these young people would surely create an even more glorious future for Croatian football!"
"Two European Cups are not their end; they are still sprinting towards higher goals!"
"On this day, we defeated the mighty Netherlands and finally made a breakthrough, reaching the World Cup final!"
"In nearly a month of battles, we repeatedly defeated strong opponents and finally advanced to the final. But I believe this is not the end either. I don't know who our opponent will be, Germany or Argentina, but I want to say, at this moment, we are fearless!"
"No matter who the opponent is, we will defeat them!"
Krauchivich shouted excitedly: "Whoever it is! Bring it on!"
With that, he threw his script into the air, took off his headphones, and jumped up fiercely.
At the same time, all the staff in the commentary booth also swarmed forward, hugging each other in celebration.
Through the microphone, these noisy sounds were clearly transmitted, but no one cared.
Because they were celebrating even more wildly.
In Zagreb, the Capital of Croatia, in the square.
A dense crowd of people waited for the end of the game, and the moment the Referee blew the whistle, the surging crowd began to jump and shout, cheers filling the entire night sky.
In an apartment building, an excited fan pushed open a window and shouted: "We're going to Maracanã Stadium!"
The next second, countless wails filled the entire space.
On the streets were wildly running Croatian fans, their expressions uninhibited, running aimlessly.
He didn't know where he was going to run; he was just running wildly, only by doing so could he vent his inner excitement.
But he was not alone; more and more people joined in, forming a torrent of wild running.
Croatia's various bars were the most lively places.
Excited fans splashed drinks, happily jumping in the strong smell of alcohol, and under the impact of stirring music and victory, they felt like they were going to faint from happiness.
Many even cried tears of joy.
This was a small country located on the eastern side of Europe, but today they became the focus of the world!