- Goncalo Ramos scored the stoppage time winner with a decisive header.
- Spain dominates Austria and does not allow any shots on target throughout the match.
- Ronaldo scores on penalties, becomes oldest goalscorer in WC knockout.
Portugal and Spain booked their places in the last 16 of the Fifa World Cup with contrasting victories on Thursday as Cristiano Ronaldo’s side survived late VAR drama to beat Croatia 2-1, while the European champions cruised to an impressive 3-0 victory over Austria.
In another nerve-wracking World Cup classic, Goncalo Ramos headed Portugal ahead in the fourth minute of stoppage time before Croatia saw a last-gasp equalizer embarrassingly ruled out for offside in Toronto.
Portugal’s 41-year-old superstar captain Cristiano Ronaldo had helped drag his side back into the contest, burying a 68th-minute penalty to cancel out Croatia’s 53rd-minute opener from Ivan Perisic. Ronaldo became the oldest goalscorer in a World Cup knockout match.
Ronaldo later joined the frenzied celebrations after Ramos headed home a sensational header deep into stoppage time to give Portugal the lead.
But Ronaldo and his Portuguese team-mates were stunned when Josko Guardiol pushed home an apparent equalizer in stoppage time.
Yet there was a final twist when the goal was chalked up for offside after a lengthy VAR review to the disbelief of Croatia’s players and their large contingent of fans at Toronto’s BMO Field.
After the final whistle, an emotional Ronaldo pulled on a Portugal number 21 shirt, a tribute to late team-mate Diogo Jota, the Liverpool star who tragically died in a car crash almost a year to the day after the win last Thursday, July 3.
“We knew it before the game. It was such a special moment. We talk today, our group, about it, the coincidence of life, it’s incredible,” Ronaldo said afterwards of the tribute to Jota.
“I was surprised because the situation today. It means a lot to us, not only because we won the game, but also the way we won the game. It was a difficult game, we knew it.”
The result ensures that Ronaldo’s incredible World Cup career will be extended by at least one more game when the Portuguese meet Iberian rivals Spain in the round of 16 in Dallas on Monday.
Ronaldo’s second-half penalty made him the oldest man to score in a World Cup knockout game.
Spain frolics past Austria
Spain had advanced to that meeting with a brilliant 3-0 win over Austria in Los Angeles earlier on Friday, confirming their status as one of the favorites for the title.
Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and a header from Pedro Porro sealed victory for the Spaniards, who produced their most complete performance of the tournament to progress to the next round.
Spain opened their World Cup campaign with a shaky 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but have subsequently built momentum with each game.
With Spanish film stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem in the 70,492 crowd at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, Spain were always in control against a limited Austria side who failed to register a shot on target.
Oyarzabal put Spain in front in the 36th minute, sweeping in a low finish to crown a clever passing move, and more deft interplay set up Porro for the second on 66 minutes.
Real Sociedad forward Oyarzabal grabbed his second when he coolly saved a low finish from Marc Cucurella’s pinpoint cross.
“We played a magnificent match. I’m happy because in every aspect we came close to perfection,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said.
“Every game from now on will be more complicated. Every game will be a little more demanding. We are moving into a more critical phase” of the World Cup, he added.
De la Fuente said his Spanish side can still improve “in all areas.”
“That’s our spirit – the belief that we haven’t reached our ceiling yet. We have to improve naturally. We’re ambitious,” he said.
