KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Croatian men's national soccer team may not have been able to hear the cheers from the St. John Catholic Club in Kansas City, Kansas, on Friday, but they surely felt the pride.
In a FIFA 2022 World Cup quarterfinal result that shook the soccer world Friday, Croatia defeated the favored Brazilians in penalty kicks.
Watching the match back in Kansas City was Stephanie Taylor, her husband Jamie and their daughter Klara. They and others took to the club in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood for a Friday-morning World Cup watch party.
"It's so amazing," Stephanie Taylor said. "It's so surprising, but it's also not because you can't count the little guy out."
The Taylor family had to sweat out 120 minutes of soccer that ended with the two teams tied at 1.
That time was time out of the school classroom for Klara.
"My teacher told me 'if you miss one more day of school, I'll give you extra homework,'" Klara said. "I said, 'Well give me extra homework cause I'm not missing this.'"
Even before the game, many felt that Croatia wouldn't be bullied by Brazil.
"The thing about the Croatian team, they don’t back down or get intimidated by anybody," Kenny Yarnevich, the manager of St. John Catholic Club told KSHB 41's Caroline Hogan Friday morning, "They know what they’re up against and they’re going to play their hearts out and play a good game."
The win against Brazil sends Croatia to the their second consecutive World Cup semi-final, where they will take on another South American team and odds-on favorite, Argentina, on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
The two countries have met before in the World Cup. Croatia defeated Argentina 3-0 during group play in the 2018 World Cup, while Argentina defeated Croatia 1-0 during group play in the 1998 World Cup.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. local time. St. John Catholic Club will host a watch party of that game and many of the Croatia fans say expect them to be there again on Tuesday.
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