Portugal squeezed previous Croatia in one of the crucial dramatic matches of the World Cup to date, scoring deep into stoppage time earlier than surviving a prolonged VAR overview to safe a 2-1 win in Toronto.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second-half penalty cancelled out Ivan Perisic’s opener earlier than substitute Goncalo Ramos headed house within the 94th minute to seemingly ship Portugal via.
There was nonetheless time for extra chaos as Croatia thought they’d compelled further time via Josko Gvardiol within the 103rd minute, just for a VAR intervention to rule the objective out for offside and finish their World Cup marketing campaign in heartbreaking vogue.
Portugal dominate however fail to search out breakthrough
Portugal managed a lot of the primary half and created the higher probabilities, however discovered Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic in impressed kind.
Croatia threatened early when Ante Budimir compelled Diogo Costa right into a save, however Roberto Martinez’s facet quickly took management.
Bruno Fernandes examined Livakovic twice from Rafael Leao’s harmful run, whereas Joao Cancelo volleyed over after one other threatening Portugal nook.
Cristiano Ronaldo additionally had alternatives, firing a free-kick into the wall earlier than narrowly failing to attach with a teasing cross from Pedro Neto.
Perisic places Croatia forward
Croatia emerged with far higher intent after the interval and instantly started asking questions of Portugal’s defence.
Diogo Costa denied Mateo Kovacic and Nikola Vlasic early within the second half earlier than Zlatko Dalic’s facet discovered the breakthrough within the 53rd minute.
Josip Stanisic delivered an inviting cross into the penalty space, the place the unmarked Perisic managed the ball earlier than firing a low end throughout Costa and into the far nook.
Croatia virtually doubled their benefit shortly afterwards when Igor Matanovic completed from shut vary, however the objective was dominated out for offside.
Portugal regarded rattled, and Kovacic got here inside inches of extending the lead when Costa tipped his curling effort onto the put up.
Ronaldo ends knockout drought
Portugal steadily regained their composure and had been handed a route again into the match halfway via the second half.
Following a prolonged VAR overview, Croatia had been penalised when Vlasic was judged to have pulled Veiga’s shirt inside the world at a nook.
Ronaldo stepped ahead and calmly transformed the ensuing penalty, firing straight down the center to attain his first-ever objective in a World Cup knockout match.
Ramos delivers late drama
Croatia got here agonisingly near discovering a late winner when Mario Pasalic headed huge from Luka Modric’s very good cross.
As a substitute, it was Portugal who struck the decisive blow.
4 minutes into stoppage time, Leao burst into area down the left and delivered a powerful cross into the world. Goncalo Ramos rose between two defenders and powered a header into the highest nook to ship the Portugal supporters into celebration.
The objective appeared to have settled the competition, however the drama was removed from over.
VAR heartbreak ends Croatia’s World Cup
With time virtually expired, Croatia launched one ultimate assault.
Perisic’s hopeful cross from the left was flicked on by Matanovic and ultimately fell to Gvardiol, who smashed house from shut vary to spark wild celebrations among the many Croatian gamers and supporters.
Nonetheless, the objective was checked by VAR.
After a prolonged overview and an on-field session, officers dominated that Pasalic had been offside when Matanovic made the faintest of touches on the ball, in keeping with the system put in contained in the ball itself, which means the objective couldn’t stand.
The choice provoked livid reactions from Croatia’s gamers and supporters, with bottles thrown onto the pitch inflicting an extra delay earlier than the match may lastly be concluded.
When the ultimate whistle ultimately arrived after 19 minutes of stoppage time, Portugal had been left celebrating a outstanding and somewhat lucky win, to arrange a last-16 conflict with Spain.
