- By Samannay Sen
- Fri, 03 Jul 2026 11:20 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Portugal made a brilliant start and could easily have been ahead inside the opening minutes.
- With extra time looming, Portugal produced one final moment of quality.
- Nikola Vlasic combined neatly with Josip Stanisic on the right flank before the latter picked out Ivan Perisic.
Portugal found a way when it mattered most as Gonzalo Ramos' stoppage-time header completed a dramatic comeback against Croatia to send Roberto Martinez's men into the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16.
In a contest that swung from one end to the other, Cristiano Ronaldo once again delivered on the big stage before Ramos emerged as the unsung hero to set up a blockbuster last-16 clash against Spain.
The Croatia national football team came within moments of pulling off a famous victory, but Portugal's relentless pressure eventually broke down Zlatko Dalic's side in an exciting night of knockout football in Toronto.
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Portugal's Briiliant Start
Portugal made a brilliant start and could easily have been ahead inside the opening minutes. Rafael Leão burst behind the Croatian defence before cutting the ball back for Bruno Fernandes, whose effort was brilliantly denied by Dominik Livaković before Josip Sutalo blocked the rebound.
Pedro Neto also caused constant problems down the right, whipping dangerous deliveries across goal. Ronaldo was inches away from connecting with one inviting cross before Leao blazed another loose ball over the bar as Portugal wasted a series of opening chances.
Those missed chances came back to haunt them shortly after the restart. Nikola Vlasic combined neatly with Josip Stanisic on the right flank before the latter picked out Ivan Perisic, who arrived at the far post to fire Croatia into the lead. Croatia nearly doubled their advantage moments later, only for Igor Matanovic's finish to be ruled out for offside.
Leao crashed an effort against the crossbar before Ronaldo thought he had equalised with a sublime finish, only to see the assistant's flag deny him.
The breakthrough finally arrived midway through the second half after Renato Veiga was brought down inside the box from a corner. Following a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot and Ronaldo calmly converted his penalty to register his third goal of the tournament and breathe fresh life into Portugal's hopes.
The equaliser transformed the contest into an end-to-end thriller. Mateo Kovacic twice came close to restoring Croatia's lead, forcing Diogo Costa into outstanding saves, while Petar Sucic also had the ball in the net only for another offside flag to rescue Portugal.
Goncalo Ramos' Heroics
With extra time looming, Portugal produced one final moment of quality. Deep into stoppage time, Leao floated a teasing cross into the penalty area where Gonçalo Ramos rose highest to power a header beyond Livakovic, sparking wild celebrations among the Portuguese players and supporters. The PSG super-sub did his job brilliantly and converted when needed the most.
Croatia believed they had forced extra time seconds later when Josko Gvardiol bundled home from close range, but after another VAR review, Mario Pasalic was judged to have been offside in the build-up, allowing Portugal to complete a remarkable escape.
Portugal's resilience under pressure once again highlighted why they remain among the favourites for the title.
Ronaldo delivered when his side needed inspiration, but it was Ramos who wrote the final chapter on a night that will live long in Portuguese World Cup history as they now prepare for a mouth-watering Round of 16 showdown against Spain.
Portugal vs Croatia Match Highlights
Portugal vs Croatia Match Result: Portugal 2-1 Croatia
Goalscorers:
Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo (68' pen), Gonzalo Ramos (90+4');
Croatia: Ivan Perisic (53')