Portugal nicked a late winner in a five-goal thriller in Split.
Croatia fought valiantly despite being a man down for a large part of a half, but it was ultimately in vain.
Patricio – 6/10
It would be harsh to blame the Wolves veteran for either of the goals conceded by Portugal, and there wasn’t much else for him to do. Great reaction save to deny Kovacic’s first attempt on target before the eventual goal.
Nelson Semedo – 7.5/10
A reliable attacking outlet for the Selecao down the right-hand side. Regularly darted into the final third and completed all five of his attempted dribbles. The Wolves wing-back won a staggering 16 duels in the game out of 17, the highest for any player on the pitch. Superb display.
Semedo – 6/10
Would have been rated far lower had he not made amends for his poor error in the first half which gifted Croatia the lead. Found Ruben Dias with a neat flick from a Livakovic save in the second-half for the equaliser. Was beaten too easily on several occasions and looked shaky on the ball. Not his best night.
Ruben Dias – 8.5/10
The Manchester City man was solid at the back and reliable with the ball, and most crucially, scored two of Portugal’s three goals. Coolly slotted the ball past Livakovic to score first goal and showed predatory instincts in the dying embers of the game to score the winner for his side after the keeper spilt the ball from a lofted cross. Match-winner for Portugal.
Rui – 6.5/10
In stark contrast to Semedo on the right flank, Mario Rui didn’t have the best of nights on Portugal’s left side. The Napoli full-back found himself in decent positions but often lacked quality in the final ball.
Bruno – 6/10
Tried to make things happen with ambitious long balls and crosses, but often failed to find his teammates. A relatively ineffective night for the Manchester United talisman, who was replaced by Barcelona’s Francisco Trincao at half-time.
Danilo – 6/10
The Paris Saint-Germain man has been a regular for Santos’ men during the Nations League campaign, but it was a largely unsuccessful night for him against Croatia. Pereira failed to screen his defence from the base of midfield and provide a platform for his more creative counterparts.
Moutinho – 7/10
The most productive of the midfield trio that began the game, Moutinho kept play ticking efficiently from the middle for the reigning champions. A neat display from the Wolves star, who helped his side out on both the offensive and defensive fronts and it was his lofted cross that eventually yielded the winner in second-half injury time.
Jota – 7/10
The in-form Liverpool forward was a constant threat for the hosts and was inventive the final third, attempting cheeky flicks and showing moments of great control. It is essential to note that Jota had an incredible stroke of luck as the referee, Michael Oliver, didn’t spot him handling the ball seconds before he set up Portugal’s second goal.
Ronaldo – 7/10
Despite his side seeing a major chunk of possession, Ronaldo didn’t have his most prolific night in front of goal. The Juventus superstar’s most notable contribution was the vicious free-kick he struck which lead to the equaliser for Portugal. Booked in the second half for simulation.
Felix – 7/10
Atletico Madrid’s crown jewel began the season in superb fashion and continued his rich vein of form with a crucial goal for his country with a neat finish from close range. Came close to scoring with another half-decent opportunity and was a handful for the visitors’ backline in the second-half after an ineffective first-half display.
Subs
Trincao – 7/10
The Barcelona wideman came on at half-time and added an extra attacking outlet on the right, and had a reasonably productive outing. The 20-year-old was neat on the ball and won seven of his nine duels in just 45 minutes. Came close to scoring with a strike towards Livakovic’s near post, but dragged his shot just wide.
Cancelo – 6.5/10
No noteworthy contribution barring a superbly-weighted cross from the left-hand side to try and find Ronaldo in the box and a wayward strike at goal.
Bernardo Silva – 5/10
Could have put the game to bed with a gilt-edged chance with the scoreline at 2-2, but smashed the ball into the ground, causing it to sail over the crossbar after the bounce. Poor effort.
Oliviera – 6.5/10
Brought on for the last few minutes to freshen up the engine room for Portugal, no significant impact.
Paulinho – N/A
Barely got a touch of the ball in his short stay on the pitch.
