Ronaldo scores first knockout goal as Switzerland end 88-year wait

Thursday’s round of 32 gave us a 41-year-old finally breaking his knockout-stage duck, a Swiss side shaking off an 88-year hex, and Spain reminding everyone why they’re still the team to beat. Portugal-Croatia had no business being this dramatic.

Ronaldo ends his knockout drought, Ramos finishes the job

At 41 years and 147 days old, Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest player ever to feature in a World Cup knockout match, and he made it count. Ivan Périsic had Croatia ahead in the 53rd minute with a low strike, but Ronaldo leveled from the spot in the 68th after Nikola Vlasic hauled down Renato Veiga in the box, the first knockout-stage goal of his entire career. Substitute Gonçalo Ramos headed the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time off a Rafael Leão cross, and Croatia thought they’d salvaged a draw moments later when Josko Gvardiol bundled one in, only for VAR to chalk it off for offside in the buildup. Four goals were disallowed across the match. Luka Modric, 40, captained Croatia to the end, making it the first World Cup knockout game to feature two outfield players both over 40.

Switzerland end an 88-year knockout hex

Switzerland hadn’t won a World Cup knockout match since 1938, an 88-year run of exits that outlasted several generations of Swiss football. Breel Embolo ended the wait in the 10th minute, tapping in after Johan Manzambi carved through Algeria’s defense, and Dan Ndoye doubled it 48 seconds into the second half. Algeria never really recovered. The Swiss move on to the last 16 to face the winner of Colombia-Ghana.

Spain barely breaks a sweat

Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice, in the 36th and 89th minutes, either side of a Pedro Porro finish in the 66th, as Spain put Austria away 3-0 in Los Angeles. Twenty-three shots to five tells its own story.

Round of 32: Portugal 2-1 Croatia, Switzerland 2-0 Algeria, Spain 3-0 Austria.

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