Portugal Edge Croatia in Dramatic Thriller to Reach FIFA World Cup Round of 16
Portugal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia to book their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a pulsating knockout clash that was decided in stoppage time.The encounter, played at Toronto Stadium on Thursday, produced end-to-end action, late drama and a controversial VAR decision that ultimately denied Croatia a last-gasp equaliser.Croatia struck first in the 53rd minute through veteran forward Ivan Perišić, who finished confidently to give his side the lead and put Portugal under pressure.
Portugal responded in the 68th minute when captain Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty to level the score. The goal marked the 41-year-old’s first-ever goal in the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup and made him the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout match.As the match appeared destined for extra time, substitute Gonçalo Ramos emerged as Portugal’s hero, heading home the winning goal deep into stoppage time to spark wild celebrations among the Portuguese players and supporters.Croatia thought they had forced extra time moments later when Joško Gvardiol found the back of the net. However, following a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, the goal was ruled out for offside after officials determined the ball had been touched by Igor Matanović before reaching Gvardiol, placing the defender in an offside position. The decision sparked frustration among Croatian players and fans, with debris reportedly thrown onto the pitch after the final whistle.
Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez defended the VAR decisions after the match, insisting the technology correctly applied the laws of the game. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić, meanwhile, expressed disappointment over the heartbreaking finish but accepted the outcome.The victory also carried emotional significance for Portugal, coming on the one-year anniversary of the death of forward Diogo Jota. Ronaldo paid tribute to his late teammate after the match by holding up Jota’s No. 21 shirt during the celebrations.
Portugal will now face Spain in the Round of 16 as they continue their quest for a first FIFA World Cup title. Croatia, runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and third-place finishers in 2022, bow out of the tournament after another memorable but heartbreaking knockout contest.
