Portugal booked their place in the World Cup last 16 with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia after a controversial VAR decision denied Zlatko Dalić’s side a late equaliser, Softfootball reports.
Croatia struck first early in the second half when Ivan Perišić finished at the back post following Josip Stanišić’s cross. Portugal responded quickly as Cristiano Ronaldo calmly converted a penalty after Renato Veiga was fouled from a corner, scoring the first World Cup knockout goal of his career.
The match swung dramatically in stoppage time when substitute Gonçalo Ramos rose to head home Rafael Leão’s cross and complete Portugal’s comeback.
Croatia thought they had forced extra time in the 113th minute when Joško Gvardiol bundled home from close range. However, after a lengthy VAR review and an on-field check, the goal was ruled out for offside after officials determined Igor Matanović had made a slight touch before Mario Pašalić became involved in the move.
Portugal had dominated much of the first half, creating several chances through Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo and Rafael Leão, while Croatia improved significantly after introducing Matanović at half-time. Despite a spirited finish, Luka Modrić’s side were eliminated, with the veteran captain likely making his final World Cup appearance.
Roberto Martínez’s men now advance to a blockbuster last-16 clash against Spain who booked their place in the World Cup round of 16 with an impressive 3-0 victory over Austria.
Player Ratings
| Portugal | Rating |
|---|---|
| Diogo Costa | 7 |
| Nuno Mendes | 7 |
| Renato Veiga | 6 |
| Ruben Dias | 6 |
| João Cancelo | 6 |
| Vitinha | 6 |
| João Neves | 6 |
| Bruno Fernandes | 6 |
| Rafael Leão | 8 (Man of the Match) |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 7 |
| Pedro Neto | 6 |
| Francisco Conceição (Sub) | 6 |
| Bernardo Silva (Sub) | 6 |
| Nelson Semedo (Sub) | 6 |
| Gonçalo Ramos (Sub) | 7 |
| Rúben Neves (Sub) | 6 |
| Croatia | Rating |
|---|---|
| Dominik Livakovic | 6 |
| Ivan Perisic | 8 |
| Marin Pongracic | 6 |
| Josip Sutalo | 6 |
| Josip Stanisic | 7 |
| Mateo Kovacic | 8 |
| Luka Modric | 6 |
| Petar Sucic | 7 |
| Martin Baturina | 6 |
| Ante Budimir | 5 |
| Nikola Vlasic | 6 |
| Igor Matanovic (Sub) | 5 |
| Mario Pasalic (Sub) | 5 |
| Josko Gvardiol (Sub) | 4 |
| Andrej Kramaric (Sub) | N/A |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Portugal | Croatia |
|---|---|---|
| Ball possession | 60% | 40% |
| Attempts | 15 | 13 |
| On target | 3 | 6 |
| Corners | 9 | 5 |
| Offsides | 1 | 4 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 2 |
| Passes | 532 | 310 |
| Goals | 2 | 1 |
