{"id":2176,"date":"2026-07-03T15:10:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T15:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trustedmovinggroups.com\/?p=2176"},"modified":"2026-07-03T15:10:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T15:10:48","slug":"from-the-sports-desk-portugal-advances-croatia-sent-packing-after-dramatic-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trustedmovinggroups.com\/?p=2176","title":{"rendered":"From The Sports Desk: Portugal advances, Croatia sent packing after dramatic finish"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Portugal advanced after edging out Croatia 2-1 in a hard-fought match, and <\/em>Cristiano Ronaldo\u2019s<\/strong><\/em> team will now face European champion Spain on Monday. <\/em><\/p>\n

Read more Educators disciplined over Charlie Kirk posts are securing big payouts<\/a><\/p>\n

The spotlight now shifts to <\/em>Lionel Messi<\/strong><\/em>\u2018s Argentina, which today is looking to bring an end to Cape Verde\u2019s remarkable World Cup run. Our NBC News team <\/em>will be live-blogging the game<\/em>, so come join us!<\/em><\/p>\n

World Cup Recap<\/h2>\n

Portugal advanced to the round of 16 after a wild 2-1 win against Croatia yesterday in Toronto.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The game was tied 0-0 after a pretty uneventful first half, but the second half more than made up for it. Croatia struck first, with Ivan Peri\u0161i\u0107 <\/strong>scoring in the 53rd minute.<\/p>\n

Soon after, Portugal drew a penalty kick off a corner and Ronaldo coolly sent in a goal, the first time he\u2019s scored in a World Cup knockout round.<\/p>\n

The game remained tied into stoppage time and seemed destined for extra time until Portugal sent a cross into the box and Gon\u00e7alo Ramos <\/strong>headed in the go-ahead goal in the 94th minute.<\/p>\n

Croatia\u2019s Josko Gvardiol <\/strong>nearly scored an equalizer about 13 minutes into added time, but the goal was taken away for an offside call via replay review. This probably marked the last World Cup game for Croatia legend Luka Modri\u0107<\/strong>, 40, while Portugal\u2019s star Ronaldo survived to play another game.<\/p>\n

Portugal will now play European champion Spain in a star-studded clash in Dallas on Monday. The winner of that tie will face either the United States or Belgium in a quarterfinal on July 10.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

In yesterday\u2019s other games, one of the tournament favorites, Spain, eased past Austria 3-0 while Switzerland won its first knockout game since 1938 when it beat Algeria 2-0.<\/p>\n

Read more Powerful Iranian general seen in public amid preparation for supreme leader\u2019s vast funeral<\/a><\/p>\n

World Cup Preview<\/h2>\n

Argentina\u2019s World Cup clash with Cape Verde in Miami has all the hallmarks of a David-vs.-Goliath contest \u2014 although this is one story that\u2019s unlikely to end in a fairy-tale upset.<\/p>\n

Led by living legend Messi, Argentina is the defending World Cup champion and has lifted soccer\u2019s biggest prize three times.<\/p>\n

Cape Verde, by contrast, is ranked 64th in the world by FIFA, has a 40-year-old goalkeeper and is the only team to reach the round of 32 without winning a match. Cape Verde advanced after recording a draw in all three group games, while Argentina (ranked second by FIFA) won all three of its matches, with Messi playing a starring role.<\/p>\n

But Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni<\/strong> urged his team not to underestimate its opponent.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u201cWe are not surprised, to be honest,\u201d Scaloni said. \u201cThey are a good team. And they are not here by chance. We must respect them. And that\u2019s what we will do.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Argentina does progress, it will meet the winner of another of today\u2019s contests, Australia vs. Egypt, played in Dallas.<\/p>\n

What We\u2019re Watching<\/h2>\n

World Cup! All the games are on Telemundo and Peacock, and all times are Eastern:<\/p>\n

Read more July Fourth celebrations commence and Folarin Balogun\u2019s red card sparks debate: Morning Rundown<\/a><\/p>\n