FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
After 110 minutes of action, filled with pace, emotion, goals, cards and controversial VAR decisions, Portugal secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup round of 16, defeating Croatia 2-1. The Lusitanians will face Spain in the only European derby of this stage, a match that will take place on July 6, at 9:00 PM.
The first half ended goalless, although both teams created good chances to score. At the start of the second half, in the 53rd minute, Ivan Perisic gave Croatia the lead with a precise shot from inside the area.
Portugal reacted immediately and in the 61st minute Cristiano Ronaldo sent the ball into the net, but the goal was canceled for offside after verification by VAR. Coach Roberto Martinez refreshed the team with four substitutions, while the Portuguese pressure increased significantly.
The decisive moment came after a corner kick, when Veiga was tripped in the area. After consulting VAR, Norwegian referee Espen Eskås awarded a penalty. From the penalty spot, Cristiano Ronaldo made no mistake, beating Dominik Livakovic and levelling the scores at 1-1.
The goal took Ronaldo to 11 goals in six World Cups, having netted three times in this year's tournament. It was also the Portuguese captain's first goal in the knockout stages of a World Cup. At 41 years and 147 days old, he became the oldest player to score in World Cup history.
Croatia tried to regain the lead and found the net through Sucic, but this goal was also disallowed for offside. Martinez then replaced Ronaldo, while the challenge continued at a high pace until the end.
In the fourth minute of extra time, Rafael Leao crossed into the area and Gonçalo Ramos headed in the winning goal, completing Portugal's great upset.
The drama did not end there. In the 103rd minute (13th minute of added time), substitute Josko Gvardiol scored the equalizer for Croatia. However, after a lengthy consultation with VAR, the referee decided to disallow the goal for a touch deemed illegal, a decision that caused much controversy.
After 110 minutes of play, Portugal celebrated their qualification to the quarterfinals, where they will face Spain in the Iberian derby. On the other hand, Croatia leaves disappointed after a performance of a high technical, tactical and physical level. For captain Luka Modric, this match is expected to have been his last appearance with the national team jersey.
At the end of the challenge, there was a touching moment. Cristiano Ronaldo wore the late Diogo Jota 's number 21 shirt and dedicated the victory to him, raising his hands and looking towards the sky in an emotional tribute.
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