Ronaldo breaks knockout drought as Portugal edge Croatia
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first ever World Cup knockout stage goal as Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 in the round of 16, a match that ended in controversy after Croatia had a late equalizer disallowed by VAR. The win sends Portugal into the quarter-finals, where they will face France.
Match details and key moments
Portugal took the lead in the 32nd minute through a Bruno Fernandes strike from outside the box. Croatia equalized just before half-time via a header from Ivan Perisic. The game remained level until the 78th minute when Ronaldo pounced on a loose ball in the box to slot home, making it 2-1. This was Ronaldo's first goal in a knockout match at the World Cup in his fifth appearance.
In stoppage time, Croatia thought they had equalized when a shot from Luka Modric deflected into the net off Josko Gvardiol, but the referee, after consulting the pitchside monitor, ruled it out for offside against Gvardiol. The decision sparked heated protests from Croatian players and fans.
Reactions and impact
Portugal manager Fernando Santos praised Ronaldo's contribution: "Cristiano always delivers when it matters most. His goal was crucial, and he showed his quality under pressure." Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic expressed disappointment with the disallowed goal: "We feel robbed. The decision was marginal, and it's hard to accept."
According to statistics, Ronaldo had previously gone 12 World Cup knockout matches without scoring, making this a significant milestone. The win keeps Portugal's hopes of a first World Cup title alive, while Croatia exit after a spirited performance.
