Quaresma stars in Portugal win

LENS, June 26

Portugal relied on one, late, moment of class to grab their first victory at Euro 2016 and move into the last eight with a 1-0 win over Croatia despite failing to hit the target for almost two hours and struggling to build any cohesive attacks.

With both the teams oozing talent, fans were expecting fireworks in a game pitting the goal-scoring prowess of Ronaldo against the play-making abilities of Luka Modric.

Instead they got to see two hours of cagey, nervy football with only one shot on target amid some shocking finishing until mercurial Ricardo Quaresma lit up the stadium with his winner three minutes from the end of extra time. All eyes were on Ronaldo but for almost all the game he was nowhere to be seen, shut out by two-three Croats at all times.

Winger Nani was equally subdued, trying to find some space but ending up crashing against a wall of defenders every time. Yet the best talent finds a way to make an impact, all that was needed was one spark, and they got it with teenager Renato Sanches, the poster boy of Portugal's new generation, launching a quick break to feed Nani on the left. — Reuters