Portugal secures dramatic victory
Portugal advanced to the 2026 World Cup round of 16 following a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in Toronto. The match saw significant events unfold, including a penalty converted by Cristiano Ronaldo and a late winning goal from Gonçalo Ramos. The game was billed as a significant clash, pitting former Real Madrid teammates Ronaldo and Luka Modric against each other.
The first half concluded without goals, despite Portugal controlling possession. Ronaldo, who faced boos from Croatia fans, had early opportunities but could not connect with crosses from Pedro Neto and João Cancelo. The score remained 0-0 at halftime.
The second half brought the game to life. Croatia took the lead in the 53rd minute when Ivan Perisic scored after receiving a pass from Josip Stanisic. Portugal equalized in the 68th minute through a penalty kick from Ronaldo, awarded after Renato Veiga was fouled by Nikola Vlasic. This goal marked Ronaldo’s first in a World Cup knockout stage match.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez made a series of substitutions to alter the game’s dynamic. Between the 61st and 62nd minutes, he introduced Bernardo Silva for Vitinha, Francisco Conceição for Pedro Neto, Nélson Semedo for Bruno Fernandes, and Gonçalo Ramos for João Cancelo. These changes aimed to increase offensive pressure on Croatia‘s defense.
Ronaldo substituted, Ramos scores winner
In the 81st minute, Martinez made another notable substitution, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo with Rúben Neves. At the time of his substitution, Ronaldo was observed on the broadcast with a bloody knee, though it was not immediately clear if the change was due to injury or a tactical decision to bring fresh players onto the field. Ronaldo had scored Portugal‘s first goal of the match, converting a penalty to tie the game at 1-1.
The strategic changes by Martinez ultimately paid off. In the 94th minute, during stoppage time, substitute Gonçalo Ramos scored the winning goal with a header. Rafael Leão delivered a curling cross into the penalty area, and Ramos rose above Croatia‘s Josip Sutalo and Marin Pongracic to head the ball past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
The match concluded with late drama. Croatia appeared to have scored an equalizer in the final seconds, but a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review disallowed the goal due to an offside call. VAR played a significant role throughout the match, disallowing two other goals—one for each side—and confirming Portugal‘s penalty.
Following the final whistle, frustrated Croatia supporters reportedly threw bottles and other objects onto the pitch. Gonçalo Ramos commented on the team’s performance, stating, “I think the team did the substitutions, we entered to press to score, and that’s what we knew, and at the end … the coach did very well.”
Looking ahead to the Round of 16
With this victory, Portugal has secured its place in the World Cup round of 16. The team is now set to face Spain in their next match. Spain‘s team includes Lamine Yamal.
The upcoming round of 16 fixture between Portugal and Spain is scheduled for July 6 in Arlington.
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Source: eu.usatoday.com
