Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Croatia1 - 1Portugal

sportsmole.co.uk, 18 November 2024, 21:53
On a night where Croatia needed just a point to guarantee their progression from League A Group 1 in the UEFA Nations League, Josko Gvardiol continued his superb recent scoring form to help the hosts come from behind and draw 1-1 with Portugal in Split.

Although Croatia needed at least a point to secure a top-two finish, it was Portugal that seized control from the start, dominating possession and appearing more threatening, with the hosts merely looking to exploit counterattacks at any given opportunity.

The visitors eventually capitalised on their dominance when Vitinha played a long pass from defence to attack, sending the ball into the path of Joao Felix, who had broken past the Croatia defence and, after brilliantly controlling it with the outside of his right foot, fired his strike through Dominik Livakovic's legs and into the net, giving Portugal the lead after 33 minutes.

Croatia believed they had equalised just after the hour mark when Gvardiol headed in from close range, but the flag quickly went up to deny the hosts, however, just minutes later and Gvardiol did have his goal, this time sneaking in at the back post to meet Kristijan Jakic's cross and squeezing his shot past Jose Sa into the near corner.

The equaliser sparked the hosts into action for the remainder of the second half, as they controlled more of the ball and came close to taking the lead on several occasions, only for wasteful finishing and a series of superb saves from Sa denying them at the last moment.

With Scotland winning 2-1 in their match against Poland, Croatia could have opted to defend their crucial point, but it was the hosts that pushed for the winner in the final moments, with Ante Budimir hitting the post late in the game, but the final whistle eventually rang to ensure Zlatko Dalic's side finished second in the group.

CROATIA VS. PORTUGAL HIGHLIGHTS

Joao Felix goal vs. Croatia (33rd min, Croatia 0-1 Portugal)

That is sublime from Felix, the group leaders have gone ahead in Split!

Vitinha has possession in Portugal's defensive third and looks forward for passing options, choosing to play an arcing ball into the path of Felix, who has made a run beyond the Croatia defence and towards goal.

The Chelsea forward brings the ball into his path with a superb first touch using the outside of his right foot, takes another touch to drive into the penalty area, and fires a left-footed strike through Livakovic's legs and into the net.

Josko Gvardiol goal vs. Portugal (65th min, Croatia 1-1 Portugal)

Gvardiol has found the equaliser, Croatia are going through in second place as it stands!

Jakic has the ball on the right side, cuts onto his left foot, and delivers an inviting, curling cross that sails past everyone in the box and reaches the back post, where Gvardiol sneaks in unmarked.

The defender does not make the cleanest contact on his volley, with the ball rebounding directly into the floor, but it manages to squeeze its way past Sa at the near post and into the net, pulling Croatia level.

MAN OF THE MATCH - JOSKO GVARDIOL

Gvardiol has been in immense goalscoring form for a defender in recent matches, and he continued that run with Croatia's equalising goal just after the hour mark, bouncing his volley off the floor and narrowly past Sa at the near post.

The defender was unlucky to not have scored just minutes prior when he headed in from a similar cross, but the flag instantly deemed the goal to be offside and a brief VAR check confirmed the decision.

Portugal's Felix must also be given a mention, particularly for his superb showing in a first half that saw Portugal dominate the ball, with the forward creating plenty of threat for Croatia, including a fantastically taken opening goal.

CROATIA VS. PORTUGAL MATCH STATS

Possession: Croatia 43%-57% Portugal

Shots: Croatia 15-12 Portugal

Shots on target: Croatia 9-5 Portugal

Corners: Croatia 5-7 Portugal

Fouls: Croatia 8-8 Portugal

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Portugal were already guaranteed to place top of League A Group 1 before this game, but tonight's draw ensured that Roberto Martinez's men remained unbeaten in their six group matches, winning four and drawing two.

As for the hosts, they came into this game needing just a point to guarantee their progression from the group in second place regardless of Scotland's result, and they did exactly that, coming from behind to draw 1-1, meaning they advance to the quarter-finals.

Top News

24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is likely to tinker with his starting XI for Tuesday's Champions League battle with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. 24 November 2024 talksport.com Hakim Ziyech had his head in his hands as he missed an open goal from eight yards out on Saturday night. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Having hinted at a winter revival with a morale-boosting Premier League success, Arsenal resume Champions League duties away to Portuguese titans Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a third straight Champions League win, Italian giants AC Milan will meet struggling Slovan Bratislava at Stadion Tehelne Pole on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal could reportedly table an 'astronomical' offer to sign AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders next summer. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee has supposedly been offered the chance to continue in the Premier League with Aston Villa should he depart the Red Devils next year. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have supposedly seen an approach to sign a highly-rated Real Madrid midfielder rejected by the player himself. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Reeling from their latest and undoubtedly their most humiliating setback yet, Manchester City have many wrongs to right in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Feyenoord at the Etihad. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Refreshed and rejuvenated after the international break, Arsenal resume their Champions League adventure away to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With all eyes fixed on the January transfer market, clubs around the UK and Europe are already lining up potential mid-season moves. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sivasspor vs. Kasimpasa (Sunday, 10.30am) Kasimpasa begin life under new manager Hakan Keles when they travel to Sivasspor in the Turkish Super Lig this weekend. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nijmegen vs. Utrecht (Sunday, 11.15am) In-form sides NEC and FC Utrecht will be looking to keep their momentum going when they face off against each other at the Goffertstadion on Sunday afternoon. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Holstein Kiel vs. Mainz (Sunday, 2.30pm) Holstein Kiel will hope to use their home crowd at Holstein-Stadion to spur them to victory against Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, as they continue their quest for survival. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Genoa vs. Cagliari (Sunday, 11.30am) Aiming for a victory to start Patrick Vieira's tenure positively, Genoa seek maximum against a Cagliari side one place ahead of them in the Serie A table ahead of Sunday's gameweek 13 match at Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Osasuna vs. Villarreal (Sunday, 1.00pm) Fifth will welcome fourth in an intriguing La Liga contest on Sunday afternoon, with Villarreal making the trip to El Sadar Stadium to tackle Osasuna. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly stepped up their interest in signing Chelsea's Josh Acheampong, whose contract stand-off with the Blues is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Turkish Super Lig titans Galatasaray have supposedly emerged as shock contenders to prise Alisson Becker away from Liverpool next summer. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have supposedly added Paris Saint-Germain defender and former Ruben Amorim protege Nuno Mendes to their left-back shortlist for 2025. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have a psychological advantage in the title race and can truly stake their claim as favourites by capitalising on their rivals' weaknesses over the coming weeks in the Premier League, Reds expert David Lynch has argued. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk La Liga Barcelona were stunned on Saturday evening as Celta Vigo scored twice in the final exchanges of their contest to secure a point in a pulsating 2-2 draw at the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two sides hoping to emerge from a rut will go head-to-head in the Turkish Super Lig when Trabzonspor host Adana Demirspor at Papara Park. 23 November 2024 talksport.com With the November international break in the rear-view mirror, the Premier League returned with a bang. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have set an unwanted losing record after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday evening. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta used a unique building analogy to explain his plan for Ethan Nwaneri after the 17-year-old scored his first Premier League goal in Saturday's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. 23 November 2024 talksport.com Chelsea may forcing themselves into the title race, but Troy Deeney believes a glaring issue 'is going to cost them' down the track. 23 November 2024 talksport.com A former Aston Villa captain is set to become an MLS manager this week. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City have lost their fifth consecutive game in all competitions after suffering a chastening 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening. 23 November 2024 talksport.com A 4-0 defeat to Tottenham wasn't what Pep Guardiola had in mind when it came to celebrating his new Manchester City contract. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Senior figures at Manchester United have allegedly concluded that Joshua Zirkzee 'is not good enough', with the club having 'serious doubts' when it comes to the Netherlands international. 23 November 2024 talksport.com Pep Guardiola has made unwanted history after Manchester City fell two goals behind after 20 minutes in their 4-0 defeat to Tottenham.