Shafaqna Pakistan: Portugal and Spain booked their places in the FIFA World Cup round of 16 on Thursday with contrasting victories, as Portugal edged Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic encounter, while Spain cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over Austria.
Portugal secured victory in dramatic fashion when Gonçalo Ramos headed home the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time before Croatia had a last-gasp equaliser ruled out for offside following a VAR review in Toronto.
Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role in Portugal’s comeback, converting a 68th-minute penalty to cancel out Ivan Perišić’s opener in the 53rd minute. At 41, Ronaldo became the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout match.
Ronaldo later joined jubilant celebrations after Ramos’ late header sealed Portugal’s place in the last 16.
But Ronaldo and his Portugal team-mates were left stunned when Josko Gvardiol prodded home an apparent equaliser in stoppage time.
Yet there was one final twist when the goal was chalked off 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 held up and pulled on a Portugal shirt bearing the number 21, a tribute to late team-mate Diogo Jota, the Liverpool star who tragically died in a car crash almost a year to the day from Thursday’s win, on July 3 last year.
“We knew it before the game. It was a so special moment. We speak today, our group, about that, the coincidence of life, it’s unbelievable,” Ronaldo said afterwards of the tribute to Jota.
“I was amazed because the situation of 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 for at least one more match when the Portuguese face Iberian rivals Spain in the last 16 in Dallas on Monday.
Ronaldo’s second-half penalty made him the oldest man to score in a World Cup knockout match.
Spain romp past Austria
Spain had advanced to that meeting with a scintillating 3-0 win over Austria in Los Angeles earlier Friday that confirmed their status as one of the favourites for the title.
Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header 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 faltering 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but have subsequently built momentum with each match.
With Spanish movie stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem in the 70,492 crowd at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, Spain were always in control against a limited Austrian side who failed to register a shot on goal.
Oyarzabal fired Spain into the lead in the 36th minute, sweeping in a low finish to crown a slick passing move, and more deft inter-play set up Porro to head home the second in the 66th minute.
Real Sociedad striker Oyarzabal grabbed his second as he coolly tucked away a low finish from Marc Cucurella’s pinpoint cross.
“We played a magnificent match. I am happy because, in every aspect, we came close to perfection,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
“Every match from now on will be more complicated. Every match will be a bit more demanding. We are moving into a more critical phase” of the World Cup, he added.
De la Fuente said his Spain side can still get better “in every area.”
“That is our spirit — the belief that we haven’t hit our ceiling yet. We need to improve naturally. We are ambitious,” he said.
Source: The News
