Portugal beats Croatia 1-0 in extra time

Sports Desk: Ricardo Quaresma scored late in extra time as Portugal defeated Croatia to set up a Euro 2016 quarter-final match against Poland.

 

The substitute headed in from two yards after keeper Danijel Subasic could only palm Cristiano Ronaldo`s shot into the path of the Besiktas winger.

 

The contest was a turgid affair for much of the 120 minutes.

 

Croatia`s Domagoj Vida and Marcelo Brozovic went close with headers, and Ivan Perisic`s effort hit the bar.

 

Portugal`s last-eight match will take place at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Thursday.

 

The match in Lens was abysmal.

 

There were no efforts on target until the goal in the 117th minute, creativity was lacking, passes misplaced and the game was blighted by niggly fouls, with 18 in the first half alone.

 

The respective defences got on top of their marked men early in the match, with the lauded La Liga trio of Ronaldo and Croatia`s Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic suffocated for space.

 

Ronaldo looked more frustrated than he had in other matches. He dropped deep and pulled out wide in a bid to get involved, but the ball to him was cut out more often than not. His 33 passes were the third fewest of the Portugal starting XI, although he did provide the crucial assist for Quaresma.

 

That goal came on the counter-attack just a minute after Perisic`s header had struck the Croatia bar. Another substitute Renato Sanches drove forward with the ball and found Nani, who in turn laid the ball to Ronaldo at the far post.

 

The Real Madrid star fired in a low angled shot that Subasic blocked, but the loose ball looped into the path of Quaresma, who was left with a very simple task.

 

Coach Ante Cacic`s men had gone from dark horses to one of the favourites for the title after three impressive displays in Group D, including a 2-1 win over Spain.

 

But against Portugal their form went missing. Playmakers Rakitic and Modric were scrapping for possession, and winger Ivan Perisic, who had been a potent weapon with his driving runs, only impressed with his hairstyle.

 

Their best chances fell to the impressive defender Domagoj Vida. The Dynamo Kiev centre-back twice went close with headers and almost took the match to penalties with another effort.

 

Source: Agencies

 

risingbd/Dhaka/June 26, 2016/A K Azad