Portugal are through to the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup after seeing off Croatia 2-1 in a tense knockout clash, with Cristiano Ronaldo making history on the night.
The Portugal captain scored his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match, a strike that also made him the oldest player to score in the knockout stage of the tournament.
The Portuguese looked lively from the start and created the better openings, but Croatia stayed in the contest and asked plenty of questions as the game wore on. Even after falling behind, the Croatians refused to go away, forcing Portugal to stay alert until the final whistle.
With the result hanging in the balance during the closing stages, Portugal defended resolutely to protect their lead and book their place in the next round.
The victory also sets up one of the standout ties of the Round of 16, with Portugal now preparing for a meeting with neighbours Spain in what promises to be one of the biggest games of the knockout stage.
For Croatia, it was a disappointing end to another World Cup campaign. They battled throughout the contest but couldn’t find the goal that would have kept their hopes alive.
As for Ronaldo, it was another record to add to a career already filled with them. At a stage where the pressure is at its highest, the veteran forward once again delivered for his country and helped keep Portugal’s World Cup dream alive.