Ronaldo's Equalizer Ruled Out for Offside as Portugal Held by Croatia

Cristiano Ronaldo had a goal disallowed for offside as Portugal drew 0-0 with Croatia in a friendly in Toronto.

In a tightly contested international friendly in Toronto, Portugal and Croatia played out a goalless draw, with Cristiano Ronaldo having a second-half equalizer ruled out for offside. The match served as a key preparation for both teams ahead of major tournaments. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez fielded a strong lineup including Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and Rafael Leao, while Croatia relied on veterans Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic to control the midfield. The first half saw Portugal dominate possession but struggle to break down a well-organized Croatian defense. Ronaldo had a few half-chances but was unable to find the net, with Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic making a couple of routine saves. The decisive moment came in the 67th minute. A through ball from midfield found Ronaldo, who slotted past Livakovic. However, the assistant referee raised his flag for offside. VAR confirmed that Ronaldo's shoulder was marginally ahead of the last defender, and the goal was disallowed. Ronaldo protested vehemently but to no avail. Portugal pushed for a winner in the final stages, with substitutes like João Félix injecting energy, but Croatia held firm. Livakovic made a crucial save from a Diogo Jota header in the 82nd minute to preserve the clean sheet. The result leaves Portugal with work to do in attack, though their defensive solidity was encouraging. Croatia will be pleased with their organization but will need to create more chances in future games. Both teams will now turn their attention to their next fixtures, with Portugal facing another tough test and Croatia looking to sharpen their offensive edge.

Ronaldo's Equalizer Ruled Out for Offside as Portugal Held by Croatia

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