A dramatic injury-time header from substitute Goncalo Ramos guided Portugal to a thrilling 2-1 win over Croatia at Toronto Stadium on Friday. The high-octane win secured Portugal a place in the Round of 16, setting up a blockbuster Iberian derby against neighbors Spain on Monday.The high-stakes encounter ended in great controversy. Trailing 2-1 deep into stoppage time, Croatia thought they had forced extra time with the last kick of the match. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened after a lengthy review and ruled Mario Pasalić offside. The decision sparked furious protests from Croatian fans, who threw bottles onto the pitch and booed loudly.Earlier, Croatia broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when defender Josip Stanišić delivered a pinpoint cross from the right flank, allowing veteran winger Ivan Perišić to slip past Portuguese custodian Diogo Costa. Down by a goal, Portugal’s World Cup dreams are looking in serious jeopardy.However, the 2016 European champions fought hard and earned an important penalty. Portuguese amulet Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up in the 68th minute and coolly converted from the spot to tie the score at 1-1. With this clinical strike, the 41-year-old maestro created history by becoming the oldest goalscorer in the history of FIFA World Cup. Remarkably, it also marked Ronaldo’s first ever goal in the knockout stage of the tournament.Sensing the need for fresh energy, Portugal manager Roberto Martínez made a bold tactical gamble by replacing Ronaldo in the 82nd minute. The move reaped rewards in the 94th minute when winger Rafael Leão curled a beautiful cross into the box. An alert Ramos perfectly anticipated the delivery, beating Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković with a powerful downheader to seal the win.The defeat marked a sad end to Luka Modrić’s iconic international career. The 40-year-old midfield maestro, who famously led his country to a runner-up finish in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2022, failed to pull off a final miracle in his fifth and final World Cup campaign. Portugal now continue to face a formidable Spain side in what promises to be a fascinating pre-quarterfinal clash.