FIFA 2018 World Cup: 3 reasons why Croatia beat Denmark

#3 Daniel Subasic's heroics in the shootouts

Subasic was the Croatian hero in the shootouts

For all the underwhelming show for a majority of the game, this has to be the single biggest reason for Croatia's win today. Subasic was breached before a minute had passed in the game, though hardly had anything else to do besides taking goal-kicks and flying out of his position to catch a couple of corner-kicks sent inside the area. But when he was needed to step up, he did, with aplomb.

The AS Monaco shot-stopper gave Croatia the perfect start to the shootout, having stopped Christian Eriksen's effort from twelve yards. He swung the tide once more by denying Lasse Schone with another terrific stop. Josip Pivaric was the next to fluff his lines, but Subasic wasn't to be cawed down as he then blocked Jorgensen, and Ivan Rakitic finished off the job.

Subasic became the first goalkeeper since Portugal's Ricardo in 2006 to make three saves in the shootouts and bailed his side out with his excellent vision and confidence between the sticks during such nerve-wracking moments. Croatia were unimpressive on the night, but have their shotstopper to thank, big time, for their progress to the last eight.