Ronaldo scores as Portugal come back to win, Croatia denied by late VAR

Cristiano Ronaldo pulls Portugal level earlier Gonzalo Ramos wins it precocious on, and Croatia person further extremity ruled offside.

Substitute Goncalo Ramos’s headed extremity edged Portugal into the past 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 aft a gripping 2-1 triumph against Croatia.

Ramos connected with a superb walk from Rafael Leao successful the 4th infinitesimal of stoppage clip connected Thursday to snuff retired a Croatia squad that had created the lion’s stock of the chances successful sapping evening vigor successful Toronto.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 4Man City motion Elliot Anderson from Forest successful grounds British transfer
• list 2 of 4‘Still the GOAT’: Ronaldo-fever hits Toronto earlier Portugal vs Croatia
• list 3 of 4Maradona to Messi: Why Bangladesh loves Argentina’s footballers
• list 4 of 4‘We tin relate’: Bosnia fans bring passion, Palestine support, to World Cup

In a melodramatic ending, Croatia thought they had equalised successful the dying seconds, but Josko Gvardiol’s extremity was chalked disconnected for offside.

The Croatians were near stunned by the decision, portion Portugal’s players celebrated.

Cristiano Ronaldo played his relation successful the victory, stroking location a punishment that cancelled retired Ivan Perisic’s opener.

It was Ronaldo’s first-ever extremity successful the knockout signifier of the World Cup, and his singular planetary vocation volition person different section erstwhile Portugal look Spain successful Dallas connected Monday.

Perisic had stunned the Portuguese by slotting the shot nether the advancing Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa successful the 53rd minute.

Within minutes, Ronaldo had the shot successful the nett aft controlling a agelong pass, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

But Portugal got level erstwhile Renato Veiga was grabbed by Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic successful the punishment area, and aft a VAR check, the referee pointed to the spot.

Ronaldo stepped up to person the punishment with ease, hitting the shot consecutive down the mediate of the extremity and pumping his fists with joyousness afterwards.

In a pulsating game, Manchester City guardant Mateo Kovacic’s debased changeable was pushed onto a station by goalkeeper Costa’s fingertips.

Still, Croatia pushed, and Petar Sucic had the shot successful the net, but the adjunct referee’s emblem was up for a wide offside.

Ronaldo was withdrawn successful the 81st infinitesimal to let Ruben Neves to travel on.

Croatia continued to make much chances than their opponents, and Mario Pasalic came truthful adjacent to winning the crippled with a header astatine the acold post, but it bounced conscionable wide.

But erstwhile Ramos connected, the nett bulged, and Portugal were through.