Portugal secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Croatia, setting up a clash with European champions Spain on Monday.
Eyes are now on Lionel Messi’s Argentina, who will look to end Cape Verde’s remarkable World Cup run today. Follow the NBC News team for live updates on the match.
Portugal Triumphs in Round of 16
Portugal advanced to the round of 16 with a 2-1 victory over Croatia yesterday in Toronto.
The first half was largely uneventful, ending in a 0-0 stalemate; however, the second half proved to be action-packed. Croatia took the lead in the 53rd minute with a goal from Ivan Perisic.
Just moments later, Portugal earned a penalty following a corner kick, allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to decisively convert for his first goal in a World Cup knockout match.
The match remained tied until stoppage time, seemingly heading for extra time, but in the 94th minute, Gonzalo Ramos headed the ball into the net following a cross from Portugal.
Croatia’s Josko Gvardiol nearly equalized in the 13th minute of stoppage time, only for his effort to be disallowed after a VAR review confirmed an offside. This match may mark the end of Croatian legend Luka Modric’s World Cup career, while Ronaldo will continue on to compete in the next round.
Portugal is set to face European champions Spain in a much-anticipated match in Dallas on Monday. The victor will proceed to the quarterfinals, taking on either the United States or Belgium on July 10.
In other news, Spain, one of the tournament favorites, convincingly defeated Austria 3-0, while Switzerland achieved its first knockout round victory since 1938 by overcoming Algeria 2-0.
Argentina Gears Up for Match Against Cape Verde
The World Cup encounter between Argentina and Cape Verde in Miami is shaping up to be a classic David vs. Goliath matchup, though it appears unlikely to culminate in a fairy-tale upset.
Under the leadership of renowned star Lionel Messi, Argentina is looking to defend their title as the reigning World Cup champions, having claimed the prestigious trophy three times.
In stark contrast, Cape Verde, ranked 64th in the FIFA standings, features a 40-year-old goalkeeper and is the first team to progress past the group stage without winning any matches. They advanced by drawing all three group games, while Argentina, ranked second globally, won all their matches with Messi leading the charge.
Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, has cautioned his team not to underestimate their opponents.
Scaloni acknowledged, “We respect Cape Verde; they are a good team. Their progress here is no coincidence.”
If Argentina wins, they will meet the winner of today’s other match between Australia and Egypt in Dallas.
Today’s Match Schedule
Catch all the World Cup games live on Telemundo and Peacock, with the following schedule (all times are Eastern):
2 PM: Australia vs. Egypt
6 PM: Argentina vs. Cape Verde
9:30 PM: Colombia vs. Ghana
