CROATIA 0-1 PORTUGAL: QUARESMA SENDS PORTUGAL INTO QUARTER FINALS

Portugese star Ricardo Quaresema was on target for Portugal in an exhilarating match against Croatia, all thanks to their captain Cristiano Ronaldo. After being so subdued for so much of the match, the Portuguese star was finally released on 117 minutes and it was his shot -- the first on target of the entire game by either side -- that was parried by goalkeeper Danijel Subasic to Ricardo Quaresma, who headed in the decisive goal for Portugal.

It was then that the match finally
came to life. The goal was cruel on Croatia who, just before the goal, had finally tried to make something happen. Ivan Perisic flashed the ball across the box only for substitute Nikola Kalinic to fail to reach it. Perisic then headed against the post.

With Croatia momentarily stretched, Portugal went straight up the other end to score, which helped ensure there was more drama in the final five minutes than in the preceding 115. Domagoj Vida missed the last of his three headed chances in that time, as Croatia desperately looked for an equaliser.

For the vast majority of the match, it seemed that penalties were inevitable, though there were questions over whether the players would even be able to get a shot on target in a shootout, such had been the paucity of opportunities.

Croatia did a good job of shuttling him out. On 14 minutes, Ronaldo tried to cut inside only to be challenged and, on 23, he was just taken down for a free kick, one of the few pieces of attacking action might have led to a spot kick. Nani felt he should have had a penalty upon being taken down in the 63rd minute. It was one of few points of note, a rare moment when something actually happened.

In the second half he was forced to drop further back -- at one point he forcibly won a header on the halfway line -- but it said much that he was showing one of his best talents there rather than near the Croatia goal.

Portugal could barely get close to it but Ronaldo got close to showing his temper on 86 minutes. After substitute Renato Sanches had brilliantly broke to release Quaresma, the subsequent cross was wayward, leaving the Portuguese captain gesturing his frustration.
He was smiling at the end, though. When his teammates finally got the ball to him in a dangerous area, it produced the winning goal.

Two technically good teams cancelled each other out. Croatia looked nothing like the nimble team that had beaten Spain just four days previously. They no longer looked like potential champions and now, thanks to Quaresma, they definitely won't be.

Portugal and Ronaldo, however, have Poland next and a seemingly more forgiving route to the final. That will surely bring more action and life than did this game.