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#2 Quarter-Final: Croatia 2-2 Russia [4-3 Penalties]
Perhaps the most dramatic, most suspense-filled clash of the tournament, blood and excitement pumping through the veins of 44,287 spectators at the Fisht Olympic stadium, yet, a hundred and twenty minutes was not enough.
While eventual Champions France managed to seal all victories in normal time, Croatia had to get through two shootouts and a further extra-time to book a place in the final, but the Quarter-final against Russia proved the most exhausting -physically and psychologically.
Six of the seven goals conceded by Russia at the World Cup had come through Set-pieces, and the man behind one of those was Luka Modric, whose perfect corner-kick found Dermagoj Vida for Croatia's second of the night.
Russia equalized and forced penalties, which the Croats eventually won. Truthfully, he wasn't Croatia's best player that day, but at that moment when the Croats needed his creative genius the most, Modric delivered the perfect assist.
