Late goal sends Portugal to the quarterfinals, and send Croatia home.

Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens

Croatia v Portugal

Croatia  0–1 (a.e.t.) Portugal

                          Quaresma Goal 117′

Portugal is into the quarterfinals after beating Croatia with a late goal in the second half of extra time.  Ricardo Quaresma’s 117th-minute goal was enough to send Croatia home.

Both teams were aware that their passage to the final was relatively easier, as they had fallen on the side of the bracket that avoided them from meeting the heavyweights in World football.

A requirement in the knockout stage of a cup competition is that you needed a win to progress.Portugal had progressed to the Round of 16 with no win to their name in the 2016 European Championship and that trend could not continue.

Cristiano Ronaldo began his scoring in their last Group F match, and Portuguese fans were hoping that was the ignition to hs scoring in Euro 2016.

Croatia were Group D winners. They won the group by beating Spain and doing such a thing in European competition these days boost a team into the list of real contenders in the competition.

Croatia had had a good season. They could have won all their Group matches if they hadn’t lost their lead against the Czech Republic with an 89th-minute penalty goal.

Portugal, on the other hand, were struggling to get a win. Every match they had played so for in the 2016 Euros felt like a loss. They had not been outplayed by any opposition yet and have had so many opportunities that were denied by good defense and bad luck.

Croatia was somewhat of a favorite heading into this match.

The match was fairly balanced and both teams were found very few quality chances to get  on the scoresheet.

If the gods of football were fair, this match would have been decided on penalties. But just like life, football is about seizing the moment. And that is what has Portugal in the 2016 Euro quarterfinals.