Croatia vs Portugal 1-1: UEFA Nations League Group A1 – as it happened

Croatia pick up a valuable point in Split to enter the quarterfinals along with Portugal.

Make sure to stay tuned as Al Jazeera Sport continues to cover select matches from the UEFA Nations League over the weeks to come.

We hope you enjoyed today’s match, and till the next time, this is Rohan Sharma signing off.

Best performance?! 🌟#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/ooPfjI3DQ6

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) November 18, 2024

Portugal secure top spot with 14 points, while Croatia safeguard second position on eight points.

Despite beating Poland in their final match, Scotland fail to go any further as they finish on seven points. Poland rounds out the group with four points.

#Croatia is in the #NationsLeague quarterfinals – congratulations! 🎆🎇 #CROPOR#UNL | #PokažiSrce | #Family | #Vatreni❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/0TXZBhwj81

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After Moro is downed in battle, leading to him getting his head wrapped with a bandage, Croatia survive extra time to ensure their progression into the quarterfinals.

Portugal were the better team in the first half, but Croatia rallied back strongly in the second to ensure their hopes were not affected by the concurrent Scotland and Poland affair.

Full-time: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

The ball is floated in from the right side.

After a deflection, the ball falls in no-man’s land, with Sa scrambling to get at it. Luckily, a Portuguese defender is able to clear before the opposition can get to it.

90+4 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

After Kramaric rattled the post in the first half, it is Budimir’s turn to earn the dubious honour.

He bounces the ball off his head a couple of times before chesting it down onto his right foot. He blasts instinctively towards goal, beating Sa, but can’t beat the right upright.

90+2 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

We will have an extra five minutes of stoppage time.

With Poland and Scotland wrapped up with the Tartan Army winning 2-1, Croatia just need to survive these next few minutes of play.

90+1 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

That pushes them to seven points but they are still a point behind Croatia.

Even if Portugal score another, Croatia will still have a single-goal advantage in terms of overall goals scored.

Meanwhile, Viega is tagged for a yellow card.

89 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

After Conceicao’s long-range effort is deflected to the left side, the visitors win a corner.

Vitinha supplies the service, with Baturina gifting another corner on the same side after Semedo played it off him with space running out.

The second corner is taken quickly, but Croatia are able to recover the ball soon after.

87 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

With the Gvardiol goal injecting greater self-belief, Croatia continue to run hard at the Portuguese defence.

85 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

Mendes is subbed off for Diogo Dalot.

81 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

How did that stay out? Susic fires a shot from right-of-centre. Sa is forced to make a reactionary dive to his left.

The ball is tipped towards Budimir, who tries to prod it in from point-blank range. Sa recovers quickly to block the attempt, with the ball ending up bouncing just over the bar.

Sa makes yet another save, this time off a corner from Kramaric on the left side. Croatia were oh-so-close there.

79 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

Vitinha plays it short, and after some build-up play, the ball is floated back into the box.

The Croatia No 1 leaps forward to claim the ball before any danger can arise.

76 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

This could be the moment for the visiting side. Conceicao provides a delightful ball from the right side to Mendes.

With just Livakovic to beat, Mendes tries to steer towards the far post, but ends up dragging his attempt across the open goal.

Livakovic is still down after the two collide and is treated by medical staff. Looks like he will press on despite getting on his haunches a few times after. Croatia have a corner to defend from the right side.

73 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

The mood has lifted noticeably as the partisan crowd is fully behind their side now.

Portugal will look to regroup as Fabio Silva and Francisco Conceicao are brought on for Leao and Otavio, respectively.

70 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

Gvardiol can finally celebrate as he prods past Sa at the near post on the left side to set Split alight!

You can feel the tension release from the fans as Croatia move up to eight points in the table, three points clear of Scotland and Poland.

If they can eke out a draw, their place in the quarterfinals will be assured.

65 mins: Croatia 1-1 Portugal

The ailing Araujo is replaced by Tiago Djalo.

64 mins: Croatia 0-1 Portugal

After Matanovic floats in a chip to Gvardiol on the left side, the Manchester City player is able to steer the header past Sa’s outstretched hands.

But he is pulled back quickly before the crowd can really celebrate, with the linesman calling for an offside. But hold on, there is a check to confirm if it was indeed offside.

After a bit of a delay, the goal is overruled.

63 mins: Croatia 0-1 Portugal

Martinez may be forced to make a change as his centre back is down for the count once more.

Araujo is soon back on his feet and looks intent to play on.

59 mins: Croatia 0-1 Portugal

The ball is floated in from the right side towards the Portuguese goal.

Matanovic, along with Araujo and Sa, look to get on the end of it. Sa is able to punch it away, but the two players end up running into each other during the fracas.

The players are down as the respective medical staff come out to treat them. Meanwhile, Luka Susic replaces Perisic during the lull in play.

58 mins: Croatia 0-1 Portugal