Ramos, Ronaldo score as Portugal comes back to beat Croatia 2-1

Portugal now turns attention to Spain, a team they have not beaten in a competitive match since 2010. The quarterfinal is scheduled for Friday. Coach Roberto Martinez will have a full squad to choose from, with no suspensions or injuries reported from the Croatia match.

Croatia's exit closes a chapter for a generation that reached the 2018 final and the 2022 semifinals. Modric, Ivan Perisic, and Dejan Lovren are all likely playing their last World Cup. The team's defensive structure held for most of the match but cracked under late pressure.

Ramos, 22, has now scored in consecutive World Cup appearances. His winner came after he replaced Joao Felix in the 72nd minute. The substitution was a tactical gamble by Martinez that paid off immediately. Ramos's movement in the box created the space for the cross and the finish.

Ronaldo's penalty was his 10th World Cup goal, moving him level with Eusebio's all-time Portugal record. He celebrated with a subdued fist pump, aware the job was not finished. The captain played the full match and pressed Croatia's back line throughout.

Portugal's win was built on second-half dominance. They outshot Croatia 14-3 after halftime and held 62% possession. Croatia's midfield, usually the team's strength, was overrun in the final 20 minutes. Modric and Mateo Kovacic could not keep pace with Portugal's fresh substitutes.

The quarterfinal against Spain promises a different tactical challenge. Spain controls possession and presses high. Portugal will likely need to absorb pressure and hit on the counter, the same approach that worked against Croatia. Martinez will have to decide whether to start Ramos or keep him as an impact substitute.

For Croatia, the post-mortem will focus on the offside call and the failure to close out the match. They led for 14 minutes after the opener and had chances to double the lead. A missed header from Perisic in the 41st minute proved costly. Portugal punished the wastefulness.