Portugal 2-1 Croatia: Goncalo Ramos wins it at the death as VAR denies Josko Gvardiol heroics | OneFootball

Selecao’s talisman notched first knockout goal at long last

Goncalo Ramos scored an injury-time winner as Portugal overturned a valiant Croatia performance to progress to the last-16 of the World Cup.

Both these sides underperformed in the group stage, but there was plenty to look forward to as two legends of the game, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, lined up opposite one another in what coudl have been either man’s final World Cup match.

Croatia drew a pair of smart saves from Diogo Costa in the opening moments of the second half, before veteran defender Ivan Perisic finally broke the deadlock with a clinical close-range finish.

That advantage would not stand for long. Ronaldo, hunting doggedly for his first goal in a World Cup knockout match, saw a tidy finish of his own ruled out for a marginal offside, but his wait to find the back of the net would not last much longer.

Portugal were awarded a penalty after Nikola Vlasic inexplicably wrapped his arms around Renato Veiga while defending a corner, dragging the Portugal man to the ground in a rugby-esque tackle.

To hand Ronaldo a shooting chance from 12-yards is to sign one’s own death warrant, and the great Portuguese goalscorer made no mistake.

Kovacic twice came close to restoring Croatia’s lead in the 75th minute, bending a low effort against the post after a driving run from midfield then seeing his 20-yard follow-up effort tipped over by Costa.

With 10 minutes remaining Luka Sucic converted Kovacic’s through ball, only for a third offside intervention to rule the goal out. Ronaldo was clearly unhappy as he was substituted for Ruben Neves moments later.

Veiga headed wide three minutes from time after another corner found him unmarked, while at the other end, Pasilic headed a Pericic cross wide with the goal at his mercy.

Portugal snatched it in stoppage time when substitute Goncalo Ramos rose highest to head home Leao’s cross.

The drama was not finished there. Gvardiol prodded in what looked to be a leveller in the 12th minute of time added on, but the referee ruled that Matanovic had got the faintest of flicks before the ball found its way to Pasalic in an offside position.