VAR, tears and Ronaldo: Portugal survive a World Cup classic
Published on: July 3, 2026, 10:04 a.m. | Source: The Economic Times
Portugal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia to advance to the Round of 16, a win overshadowed by a controversial late VAR decision. After Croatia thought they had equalized in stoppage time, semi-automated offside technology disallowed Josko Gvardiol's goal due to a marginal touch. Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest scorer in a World Cup knockout match from the penalty spot, canceling out Ivan Perisic's opener.
