Croatia's football heroes 👏 made it to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after a breathtaking 1-1 draw against Portugal 🇵🇹 in Split on Monday night!
It was a night of high drama as Josko Gvardiol 💪 netted his first international goal in two years to rescue a point for the home side. The stadium erupted when Gvardiol leaped to meet Kristijan Jakic's perfect cross, beating Portugal's goalkeeper José Sá from close range. ⚽️🔥
Portugal, already topping Group 1, decided to rest their superstar Cristiano Ronaldo 🐐. But that didn't stop them from taking the lead! João Félix ✨ showcased his magic, brilliantly controlling Vitinha's pinpoint pass and smashing it low past Dominik Livaković in the Croatian goal. 🥅
Croatia fought back fiercely! Andrej Kramarić came oh-so-close when his shot hit the post after a clever header from Gvardiol. Talk about edge-of-your-seat action! 😱
Both teams had chances to snatch a winner. Livaković pulled off an incredible save to deny Nuno Mendes, while Sá had to be at his best to stop Ante Budimir, who later also rattled the post. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions! 🎢
With this draw, Croatia clinched second place in Group 1 with eight points from six games, joining Portugal in the March 2025 quarterfinals. It's game on for the next round! 🎉
Time to mark your calendars and get ready for more epic football moments! 🗓️⚽️
Reference(s):
Croatia reach UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after Portugal draw
cgtn.com
