TORONTO: Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first World Cup knockout-stage goal of his career, Goncalo Ramos netted a stoppage-time header and Portugal benefited from a last-second VAR offside decision to beat Croatia ​2-1 and set up a last-16 clash with Spain.

Josko Gvardiol thought he had equalised for Croatia in the 103rd minute but a review showed the ball had touched Igor Matanovic on ​the way through, which made Gvardiol offside.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said: “We didn’t deserve this sort of finish. It’s never easy when you concede a goal in the last minutes of the match but we should ​have resolved this differently.”

Portugal dominated possession in the first half but struggled to convert their chances on a night when a breeze off Lake Ontario offered reprieve from the sweltering heat that blanketed the city for much of the day.

Ronaldo, booed heavily by Croatia supporters every time he touched the ball, failed to get his head on an early Pedro Neto cross and then he and Bruno Fernandes were unable to take advantage of a deep cross from Joao Cancelo.

Croatia, World ​Cup runners-up in 2018 and third in 2022, came roaring out of the restart and had Portugal on the back foot as Mateo Kovacic picked up a loose ball and went through the defenders but his shot hit ​the side of the net.

Minutes later Ivan Perisic put Croatia in front when he converted an assist from Josip Stanisic in the 53rd minute.

Ronaldo became the oldest player to score in the knockout stage of a World Cup when he converted a penalty to equalise from Portugal ⁠in the 68th minute after Renato Veiga was pulled down in the area by Vlasic. The 41-year-old was then replaced by coach Roberto Martinez ​in the 81st minute after which substitute Ramos rose above the Croatia defenders in the fourth minute of stoppage time for what proved to be the winner.

Portugal dedicated their victory to Diogo Jota. The match was played a day before the one-year anniversary of the death of the Liverpool forward in a car crash.

An image of Jota in his No. 21 shirt was shown on video boards at Toronto Stadium after the playing of Portugal’s national anthem. Portuguese supporters ​then gave a standing ovation in honour of Jota in ​the 21st minute.

But while Ronaldo’s adventure continues this was the end of the World Cup line for Croatia captain Luka Modric.

Ronaldo, who shared a moment on the pitch with his former Real Madrid team-mate after the match, said he hopes the man who has featured in each of Croatia’s last 23 matches at the World Cup has more football left in him.

Ronaldo said: “I spoke with him. He’s a legend of football. Played so many years together with him at Real Madrid. I wish him all the best and I hope he continues ⁠to play.”

#######