By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Sets up Final Before Final R16 Game Against Spain on July 6 in Dallas …
PORTUGAL ON Friday morning Nigerian time ended the football career of legendary Luka Modric of Croatia with a 2-1 victory in the round of 32 games at the 2026 world cup tournamnt.
Croatia drew the first blood through Ivan Peristic who pounced on a good pass from Jossip Stansic to score in the 53rd minute.
However, Nikola Vlastic committed a foul in the box and stormy petrel Christiano Ronaldo popularly known as CR7 converted it into goal at the 68th minute and gave the famous CRC jump thereafter.
A whopping 10 minutes was added as extra time in the game and at 90+4-minute Rafael Leao crossed the ball into the box for Concalo Ramos to head it in for the decider. VAR rejected Josko Guardiol goal for Croatia in the 90+13-minute.
Forty-year-old midfield dynamo, Luca Modric got Croatian first yellow at 59th minute as a memorabilia for a goodbye to the world cup on his 202 caps for Croatia playing 23 world cup matches in five appearances at the world cup in 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 leading Croatia to a world bronze medal in 2022 after he won the Golden Ball at the 2018 tournament.
Cover photo shows Luca Modric who Croatia trained for endurance in football at a military camp waving bye bye to the world cup in 2026 at 40. His compatriot Christiano Ronaldo also 40 years won Man of the match award.
Portugal met Croatia five times since 2020 winning 3 matches drew one and Croatia won one. Portugal won 3 of them at the European Nations League of 5th September 2020 by 4-1; 17th November 2020 by 3-2 and that of 5th September 2024 by 2-1 drawing their last meeting which was in that league match 1-1 on 18th November 2024 while Croatia won in a Friendly of 8th June 2024 by 2-1.
Portugal sets up a round of 16 final before final against Spain on 6th July at Dallas Stadium by 8.00pm.
Earlier Spain had beaten less fancied Austria 3-0 with an impressive combo from Mikel Oyarzabal who got a brace scoring in the 36th and 89th minutes with Marc Cucurella his soccer terrorist partner suppling the assist each time.
Alex Baena had put Pedro Porro through to score the Spain 2nd goal at the 66th minute.
We look forward to the following matches to conclude the round of 32 games. Algeria vs Switzerland at 4.00am today, Egypt against Australia at 7.00pm and Cape Verde trying Argentina for size at 11.00pm before the Ghana versus Columbia show down at 2:30am on Saturday.
#FIFA #2026WORLDCUP ##EUFA
#FPF #CFF #NFF.
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