Portugal reached the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after defeating Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic knockout contest filled with VAR controversy on Thursday night.
Portugal dominated the opening exchanges, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack alongside Pedro Neto and Rafael Leao, forcing Croatia onto the defensive.
Portugal nearly scored in the fourth minute when Leao cut the ball back for Bruno Fernandes, whose low effort was brilliantly saved by Dominik Livakovic.
Neto repeatedly troubled Croatia’s defence with his pace, while Ronaldo narrowly missed connecting with dangerous deliveries inside the penalty area.
Croatia weathered the pressure before midfield veterans Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic gradually wrestled control through composed passing.
The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when Ivan Perisic finished expertly from Josip Stanisic’s cross to give Croatia a surprise 1-0 lead.
Portugal responded immediately, increasing the tempo as Ronaldo urged his teammates forward in search of an equaliser against Croatia’s disciplined defensive block.
The decisive turning point came in the 68th minute after VAR reviewed a foul by Nikola Vlasic on Renato Veiga inside the penalty area.
Ronaldo stepped forward calmly and sent Livakovic the wrong way from the penalty spot, scoring his first-ever World Cup knockout-stage goal to level the contest at 1-1.
Coach Roberto Martinez substituted Ronaldo in the 81st minute, introducing fresh legs as Portugal searched for a winning goal before extra time.
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Croatia believed they had regained the lead during another frantic attack, but the effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 94th minute when substitute Gonçalo Ramos powered home Leao’s cross to make it 2-1.
In a dramatic ending, Croatia thought they had equalised in the dying seconds, but Josko Gvardiol’s goal was chalked off for offside.
The Croatians were left stunned by the decision, while Portugal’s players celebrated.
Portugal will now face Spain in the Round of 16 in Dallas on Monday.
