- Goncalo Ramos scored the winner in stoppage time with a decisive header.
- Spain dominates Austria, allowing no shots on target throughout the match.
- Ronaldo scores from the penalty spot to become the oldest scorer in the World Cup round of 16.
Portugal and Spain booked their places in the FIFA World Cup last 16 with contrasting victories on Thursday, as Cristiano Ronaldo’s side survived late VAR drama to beat Croatia 2-1 while the European champions won 3-0 against Austria.
In another nerve-wracking World Cup classic, Goncalo Ramos put Portugal ahead in the fourth minute of added time before Croatia saw a last-minute equalizer ruled out for offside in Toronto.
The 41-year-old Portuguese superstar captain Cristiano Ronaldo helped his side return to the competition, scoring a 68th-minute penalty to cancel out Ivan Perisic’s 53rd-minute opener for Croatia. Ronaldo became the oldest goalscorer in a World Cup knockout match.
Ronaldo then joined the frenzied celebrations after Ramos scored a sensational header deep into added time to give Portugal the lead.
But Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates were stunned when Josko Gvardiol scored an apparent equalizer in added time.
Yet there was a final twist when the goal was ruled offside after a lengthy VAR review, much to the disbelief of the Croatian players and their large contingent of supporters at Toronto’s BMO Field.
After the final whistle, an emotional Ronaldo held his ground and donned a Portugal jersey bearing the number 21, a tribute to his late teammate Diogo Jota, the Liverpool star who tragically died in a car crash almost a year to the day after Thursday’s victory, on July 3 last year.
“We knew it before the match. It was a very special moment. We are talking today, our group, about this, about the coincidence of life, it’s incredible,” Ronaldo said after the tribute to Jota.
“I was amazed by today’s situation. It means a lot to us, not only because we won the match, but also the way we won it. It was a difficult match, we knew that.”
The result ensures Ronaldo’s incredible World Cup career will be extended by at least one more match when the Portuguese face 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 match.
Spain beats Austria
Spain qualified for the match with a resounding 3-0 victory over Austria in Los Angeles earlier on Friday, confirming their status as 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 advance to the next round.
Spain opened their World Cup campaign with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but then gained momentum with each match.
With Spanish movie stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem among the 70,492 spectators at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Spain were always in control against a limited Austrian team that failed to register a shot on goal.
Oyarzabal gave Spain the lead in the 36th minute, sweeping in a low finish to cap off a clever pass, and more skillful intermediate play allowed Porro to score with a second-place header in the 66th minute.
Real Sociedad striker Oyarzabal grabbed his second goal when he coolly pushed away a low finish from Marc Cucurella’s precise cross.
“We played a magnificent match. I’m happy because in all aspects we were close to perfection,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
“Each match will now be more complicated. Each match will be a little more demanding. We are entering a more critical phase” of the World Cup, he added.
De la Fuente said his Spanish team could 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.
