Portugal booked their place in the FIFA World Cup last 16 after a thrilling 2-1 win over Croatia on Thursday. Cristiano Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot before Goncalo Ramos struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner.
The victory sets up a mouth-watering last-16 clash against European champions Spain in Dallas on Monday.
Croatia Strike First
Croatia took the lead in the 53rd minute through veteran forward Ivan Perisic. The winger finished calmly to put his side in control after a closely fought first half.
Portugal pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Their pressure finally paid off midway through the second half.
Ronaldo Makes History
Portugal were awarded a penalty in the 68th minute. Ronaldo stepped up and calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to level the score.
The goal made the 41-year-old the oldest player to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match. It also gave Portugal fresh belief as the game entered its closing stages.
Ramos Wins It Late
Just when extra time looked certain, Portugal found the winner.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Goncalo Ramos powered home a header to spark huge celebrations among the players and fans.
Croatia thought they had forced extra time moments later. Josko Gvardiol turned the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a long VAR review.
The decision ended Croatia’s hopes and sent Portugal into the next round.
Ronaldo Pays Tribute to Diogo Jota
After the final whistle, Ronaldo honoured his late Portugal teammate Diogo Jota. He held up and wore a Portugal shirt with the number 21 on the back.
Jota, who played for Liverpool, died in a car crash on July 3 last year. The anniversary of his death made the victory even more emotional for the Portuguese squad.
“We knew it before the game. It was a very special moment,” Ronaldo said.
“We spoke about it as a group today. The coincidence of life is unbelievable. It means a lot to us. We won a difficult game, and we won it in a special way.”
Spain Await Portugal
Portugal’s dramatic victory keeps Ronaldo’s World Cup dream alive. They will now face Spain in one of the biggest matches of the last 16.
The meeting between the Iberian rivals promises to be one of the standout ties of the knockout stage as both teams chase a place in the quarter-finals.
