Goncalo Ramos scored the go-ahead goal for Portugal in second-half stoppage time — then saw a potential equalizer for Croatia overturned by VAR moments later — as the Portuguese moved on to the World Cup’s round of 16 with a 2-1 victory in Toronto on Thursday.
Portugal, who also got a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, will face Spain, a 3-0 winner against Austria earlier in the day, on Monday in Arlington, Texas.
Ramos, making just his second appearance of the tournament, entered in the 63rd minute. He put Portugal ahead 2-1 in the fourth minute of added time as he headed a perfect cross from Rafael Leao past Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
Croatia thought it had pulled level in the 13th minute of stoppage time through substitute Josko Gvardiol. A video check, however, disallowed the goal, as Mario Pasalic was ruled to have been in an offside position when teammate Igor Matanovic made a slight flick of the ball with his head.
It turned out to be a massive relief for Portugal, who trailed 1-0 until the 68th minute.
After a VAR check found that Nikola Vlasic had taken down Portugal’s Renato Veiga in the box, Ronaldo converted the eventual penalty to make it 1-1, using a stutter-step move to fake out Livakovic. Ronaldo, 41, became the oldest player to score in a men’s World Cup knockout-stage game; it was also his first-ever goal in the knockout round.
Ronaldo’s goal canceled out a 53rd-minute opener for Croatia. Josip Stanisic’s cross from the right side glanced off the head of Portugal’s Ruben Dias and fell to Ivan Perisic.
With goalkeeper Diogo Costa pulled off his line, Perisic gathered himself and fired it into the back of the net for his first goal of the tournament.
Croatia looked to retake the lead in the 75th minute, but two brilliant saves by Costa — both on long-range attempts by Mateo Kovacic — kept the match level. Then, in the 81st minute, Croatia’s Petar Sucic had a would-be goal ruled offside.
That set up Ramos’ eventual winner and later Gvardiol’s reversed equalizer, sending Croatia home and putting Portugal through to the final 16.
Costa ended the evening with five saves in the win. Livakovic stopped two of the four shots he faced.
–Field Level Media
