Portugal Triumphs Over Croatia with Late Goal in World Cup Clash

In a nail-biting World Cup match, Portugal came from behind to defeat Croatia 2-1, thanks to a late goal from Goncalo Ramos. After Croatia initially took the lead, Cristiano Ronaldo equalized with a penalty, marking a historic moment as he became the oldest player to score in the knockout stages. The match culminated in stoppage time with Ramos' decisive header, securing Portugal's place in the tournament. This thrilling encounter showcased Portugal's resilience and determination on the world stage.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 3, 2026, 13:13 IST

Portugal Secures Dramatic Victory Against Croatia

Photo: @Sports256Media/X

Toronto, July 3: In a thrilling encounter at Toronto Stadium, Goncalo Ramos netted a last-minute goal, leading Portugal to a 2-1 comeback victory over Croatia.

After Croatia took the lead through Ivan Perisic shortly after halftime, Portugal equalized with a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo. Ramos then scored the decisive goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, converting a cross from Rafael Leao.

This marked Ronaldo's first goal in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, making him the oldest player to score at this level at 41, surpassing fellow Portuguese legend Pepe.

Portugal dominated the early stages of the match, creating several scoring opportunities. They nearly took the lead within the first five minutes when Bruno Fernandes' shot was brilliantly saved by Dominik Livakovic, with the Croatian defense clearing the rebound.

The Portuguese side continued to threaten, particularly through set pieces. Joao Cancelo attempted a long-range shot after a corner (7'), while Ronaldo's free kick was blocked (13'), and Renato Veiga's header went over the bar (16').

On the contrary, Croatia struggled to pose a threat to Diogo Costa's goal, with Ante Budimir's unmarked header in the 10th minute being their best chance, which he missed.

As halftime approached, Portugal ramped up the pressure again, with Bruno Fernandes creating a dangerous play that forced another save from Livakovic before winning a corner. Nuno Mendes' shot from the corner was blocked by the Croatian defense.

Portugal resumed the second half with the same intent, but it was Croatia that struck first. In the 53rd minute, Ivan Perisic scored after Ruben Dias' clearance inadvertently set him up, putting Croatia ahead.

Portugal quickly responded, with Rafael Leão hitting the crossbar in the 58th minute. Ronaldo found the net shortly after, but his goal was ruled offside.

Persistence paid off for Portugal in the 68th minute when a foul by Nikola Vlasic on Renato Veiga led to a penalty, which Ronaldo converted to level the score.

Despite Croatia's attempts to regain the lead, Portugal's defense, bolstered by Diogo Costa's saves against Kovacic and Matanovic, held firm.

In a dramatic finish, Ramos scored the winner in stoppage time, heading home Leao's perfect cross.

There was a final twist when a late pass into the Portugal box found Mario Pasalic, who squared for Josko Gvardiol to score. However, after a VAR check, Pasalic was ruled offside, preserving Portugal's victory.