All articles tagged with #croatia
FIFA says Croatia’s stoppage-time equalizer against Portugal was ruled offside after its new Connected Ball Technology IMU sensors detected a tiny contact by Igor Matanović that reset the offside line, disallowing the goal and prompting ongoing controversy over VAR calls at World Cup 2026.
FIFA defended a VAR decision to disallow Croatia’s stoppage-time equaliser after a hair-touch by Igor Matanović was detected by Connected Ball Technology, confirming offside and sending Portugal through to the World Cup knockout stage while Croatia’s campaign ends.
FIFA, using Adidas Trionda sensor data, showed Croatia's Igor Matanović touched the ball in the buildup to Josko Gvardiol's late goal, validating the offside call and ruling the goal out in Croatia's World Cup match versus Portugal.
In the 2026 World Cup Round of 32, Croatia believed they had tied late when Gvardiol finished a Perišić cross, but a VAR review ruled offside after Matanović touched the ball; Portugal then won 1-0 with Gonçalo Ramos’ 94th-minute strike to set up a showdown with Spain in the next round.
World Cup Round of 32 Day 22 saw Portugal edge Croatia as Ronaldo finally scored in knockout play from a 66th-minute penalty, with Gonçalo Ramos adding a late goal to seal the win and send Portugal into a Round of 16 meeting with Spain in Arlington on July 6; Modrić’s Croatia appearance may be his last World Cup. In other games, Spain beat Austria with Yamal and Oyarzabal starring, while Switzerland beat Algeria to reach knockouts for the first time since 1938 and Unai Simón extended his minutes-without-conceding record.
Croatia’s dramatic stoppage-time equalizer against Portugal was ruled offside after a lengthy VAR review, with a tiny touch by Igor Matanović setting up Pašalić; Portugal won 2-1 to advance, ending Croatia’s World Cup run and likely Luka Modrić’s final World Cup appearance.
Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in Toronto after Ronaldo converted a VAR-confirmed penalty to level, and Goncalo Ramos headed home in stoppage time to seal a last-16 spot; Croatia’s late equaliser was ruled offside, and Portugal advance to face Spain in Dallas.
Portugal edged Croatia 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup round of 32 after VAR ruled Croatia's stoppage-time equalizer offside due to a tiny touch by Igor Matanović and a subsequent Pašalić touch, ending Croatia's run and sending Portugal to face Spain.
Portugal and Croatia meet in the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 in Toronto with Portugal favored (-145) over Croatia (+470) and a 2.5-goal over/under. Portugal to advance is -310, Croatia +235. SportsLine’s Martin Green leans Under 2.5, citing Portugal’s solid defense since Ruben Dias’s return and Croatia’s muted offense, and highlights a Cristiano Ronaldo prop as a key bet; full picks are available at SportsLine.
In Toronto, Portugal push for an opening goal against Croatia in a tightly contested World Cup knockout match, but the first half ends level as Ronaldo misses a golden chance and Leão hits the post early, with end-to-end action, midfield battles, and hydration breaks setting the stage for a dramatic second half.
Portugal and Croatia meet in the World Cup Round of 32 at BMO Field in Toronto, a high-stakes knockout clash that could mark Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup appearance and pits a veteran Croatia side led by Luka Modrić against a Portugal squad determined to advance.
Portugal and Croatia meet in the World Cup 2026 Round of 32 in Toronto, pitting aging icons Ronaldo (41) and Modric (40) against each other. Croatia rebounded from a rough group stage to advance; Portugal have been underwhelming but still boast Ronaldo as a starter. Opta gives Portugal the edge in regulation (about 54.5%), with the winner moving on to a last-16 clash vs Spain or Austria. Predicted lineups feature Ronaldo leading Portugal in a 4-2-3-1 and Modric anchoring a Croatia 4-3-3, with kickoff times and broadcasters varying by region.
Portugal and Croatia line up for a World Cup 2026 last-16 clash, with Portugal naming Diogo Costa in goal and Leão starting in place of João Félix, while Croatia sign off with Livaković in goal and a midfield featuring Modrić and Kovaić (Kovacic). Formations are debated (4-2-3-1 vs. 4-4-2). The fixture is framed as a high-profile encounter between two star-studded sides, with pundits joking about a Modrić–Ronaldo narrative ahead of kickoff.
England lead Group L on four points heading into the final day while Croatia and Ghana are one point back and Panama is eliminated. The last-round matches—England vs. Panama and Croatia vs. Ghana—determine who advances: England advances with a win or draw; Ghana advances with a win or draw; Croatia must win to stay alive and could win the group depending on England’s result. Panama cannot reach the knockout stage. The final day kicks off at 5 p.m. ET, with outcomes decided by on-field results and potential tiebreakers.
Croatia and Ghana face off in Philadelphia with both teams aiming to advance; Croatia are slight favorites but a draw is the expert pick, suggesting a low-scoring contest (under 2.5 goals) and a potential Ghana breakthrough from Antoine Semenyo, with injuries and lineup notes shaping the final call and odds guiding bets.