Portugal striker, Goncalo Ramos, scored a stoppage-time header to secure a 2-1 victory against Croatia in their 2026 FIFA World Cup match, setting up a last-16 clash with Spain.
Portugal dominated possession in the first half but struggled to convert their chances. Cristiano Ronaldo failed to get his head on an early Pedro Neto cross and then he and Bruno Fernandes were unable to take advantage of a deep cross from Joao Cancelo.
Croatia, World Cup runners-up in 2018 and third in 2022, came roaring out of the restart and had Portugal on the back foot as Mateo Kovacic picked up a loose ball and went through the defenders but his shot hit the side of the net not long before they opened the scoring.
Defender Ivan Perisic put Croatia in front when he brought down a pass from Josip Stanisic and coolly fired home at the far post in the 53rd minute as the game opened up considerably with incredible back-and-forth action.
Moments later Nikola Vlasic thought he had Croatia’s second, but was ruled offside. Portugal stormed back down the field where Rafael Leao drilled a shot from outside the area that slammed off the crossbar.
Ronaldo nearly scored when he coolly flicked the ball over the goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and into the net but was ruled offside. He however got his moment in the 68th minute when he fired in a penalty after Renato Veiga was fouled in the area by Vlasic.
Ronaldo, 41, became the oldest player to score in the knockout stage of a World Cup.
Substitute Ramos then rose above the Croatia defenders in the fourth minute of stoppage time to extend Portugal’s lead.
Croatia looked to have equalised at the end, but the last-gasp effort was ruled offside after a video assistant referee review, prompting the team’s supporters in the south end of Toronto Stadium to shower the pitch with debris.
The last Toronto-based game of the global showcase was a marquee all-European clash featuring two ageless wonders going head-to-head and it was Ronaldo who kept his hopes for an elusive World Cup alive while Luka Modric was left to ponder his international future.
Portugal will face Spain on Monday in Dallas with the winner moving on to play Belgium or the United States in the quarter-final.
Ronaldo, who shared a moment on the pitch with Modric after the match, said he hopes the man who has featured in each of Croatia’s last 23 matches at the World Cup has more football left in him.
“I spoke with him. He’s a legend of football,” Ronaldo said of Modric. “Played so many years together with him at Real Madrid. I wish him all the best and I hope he continues to play.”
Latest World Cup results
Spain 3-0 Austria
Switzerland 2-0 Algeria
Portugal 2-1 Croatia.
