Portugal eliminated Croatia from the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 victory, in line with our expectations as Footexo's pre-match prediction was a home win with a confidence level of 3/5. The odds before the match were 1.69 for Portugal, 3.77 for a draw, and 5.42 for Croatia. This victory advances Portugal to the next round of the competition, while Croatia is out.
The Match Breakdown
Portugal dominated the match with 60% ball possession compared to Croatia's 40%. The Portuguese national team also had more scoring opportunities, with a total of 15 shots against Croatia’s 13, and 5 major chances against 4. However, Croatia had more on-target shots, with 6 compared to Portugal’s 3. Portugal also had the advantage in corner kicks, with 9 against Croatia's 5. Expected Goals (xG) statistics show that Portugal had an expected goal value of 2.18 compared to Croatia's 1.32. Recent news about Portugal, including the unveiling of their new kit, did not have a direct impact on the match but may have contributed to the team’s confidence.
Milestones occurred during the match, notably a fine goal-scoring opportunity for Ante Budimir of Croatia, which he couldn't convert past Diogo Costa. On the other side, Bruno Fernandes had a chance to score with a direct shot, but the goalkeeper made a great save. Portugal also benefited from a foul committed by Mateo Kovacic, which gave them a great goal-scoring opportunity from a free-kick. Joao Neves then sent the ball over the bar from a corner kick, but Portugal continued to push for a goal.