Portugal Advances to Pre-Quarterfinals After Dramatic Win Over Croatia
Kathmandu. Portugal has advanced to the pre-quarterfinals (last 16) by defeating Croatia 2-1 in a thrilling match of the FIFA World Cup final 32. Goncalo Ramos scored in injury time of the match held at Toronto Stadium early Friday morning, securing a dramatic victory for Portugal.
Although Portugal controlled possession from the start of the match, they lost the initial lead. Ivan Perisic scored in the 53rd minute, giving Croatia a 1-0 lead.
Trailing by one goal, Portugal launched continuous attacks. In the 68th minute, captain Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty to bring the game to a 1-1 draw.
The main turning point of the match came when coach Roberto Martinez substituted captain Ronaldo in the 81st minute. Although Ronaldo returned to the bench in disappointment, the impact of the players who replaced him was evident on the field. In the 94th minute of the 10 minutes of added injury time, Goncalo Ramos scored a spectacular header from a brilliant cross by Rafael Leao, securing the win for Portugal.
Croatian players and supporters were stunned after conceding the goal in the final moments. Even with Ronaldo off the field, he went onto the field after Ramos's goal to share his joy with his teammates. With this victory, Portugal is now set to face a strong opponent, Spain, in the pre-quarterfinals.
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