Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the World Cup after a late VAR review wiped out Josko Gvardiol's 113th-minute goal. The result sent Portugal into the last 16 and ended Croatia's run in a knockout match that turned on one review.
Ronaldo and Ramos Score
Ivan Perisic put Croatia ahead in the 53rd minute, but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot in the 61st minute. Goncalo Ramos then scored Portugal's winner in added time, completing the comeback and keeping Portugal alive in the Round of 32.
Ronaldo's penalty was his first goal in the knockout stages of a World Cup. He is 41, while Luka Modric is 40, and both were central to a match that carried added weight because Modric was likely playing in his last World Cup.
VAR Reverses Gvardiol
The decisive moment came deep in extra time. Jarred Gillet recommended an on-field check, and Espen Eskas ruled out Gvardiol's goal after the review.
The sequence hinged on two details: Igor Matanovic was judged to have got a faint touch on Perisic's cross, and Mario Pasalic was offside on the play. Croatia thought it had a late winner; VAR took it away, and the score stayed 2-1.
Portugal in the Last 16
Roberto Martinez made four substitutions in the 63rd minute, bringing on Semedo, Silva, Conceicao and Ramos, and one of those changes produced the winning goal. Portugal finished with the result it needed at Toronto Stadium, in front of 43,036.
Portugal now moves on to Spain in the last 16. Croatia leaves the World Cup after a night decided by a penalty, a bench goal and a VAR call that erased Gvardiol's finish.
