Portugal held 0-0 by Colombia in Miami, set up World Cup last-32 date with Croatia
A lacklustre Portugal were held to a 0-0 draw by Colombia in their final Group K match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, finishing second and setting up a last-32 meeting with Croatia in Toronto. Roberto Martínez’s side were outplayed for long stretches but goalkeeper Diogo Costa’s saves preserved a point.
Stalemate in Miami
Portugal and Colombia battled to a goalless draw in their final Group K fixture at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, a result that left Roberto Martínez’s side second in the group on five points and sent them into a last-32 encounter with Croatia in Toronto. Colombia, who had already secured top spot, created the better chances and had a stoppage-time goal by Davinson Sánchez ruled out for a tight offside. International media widely agreed that if there had to be a winner it would have been the South Americans. Portugal thus closed the group phase as they started it; without convincing.
Costa’s standout display
Goalkeeper Diogo Costa was elected man of the match after a series of saves kept Portugal level.
The Spanish coach also said his team had not been surprised by Colombia’s tactics and noted the differences with the next opponent. In defence, Renato Veiga delivered a solid showing with several decisive blocks alongside Rúben Dias. At the other end, Cristiano Ronaldo endured a quiet night: The Guardian noted he was “easily neutralised”, while L’Équipe called Portugal’s attack “apagada” (lacklustre). Rúben Neves was withdrawn at half-time, a substitution that Martínez later appeared to acknowledge as a misjudgement.A fantastic performance.
Foreign press reaction
Spanish daily Marca called the result “a draw with a taste of gold for the ‘cafeteros’ and Portugal on the difficult path”, pointing out that without Costa’s interventions and Colombian inefficiency Portugal would likely have lost. The Colombian outlet El Espectador praised Néstor Lorenzo’s side for resisting Portugal’s pressure and controlling large spells of the game.Ronaldo, however, still has a long way to go if his quest to prove his omnipresence in this tournament does not harm the Portuguese hopes of glory.
New York gathering and mood
In New York, around 300 Portuguese and Portuguese-descendant fans gathered at the Stout bar in Manhattan for a watch party organised by 23-year-old luso-american Dylan Fanico.
Despite the on-field disappointment, the crowd stayed to dance to Portuguese music after the final whistle.The result left something to be desired. I question whether this is a team capable of winning the World Cup. But regardless of the result, this event shows the importance of football for an immigrant.
What comes next
Portugal will face Croatia at midnight on Friday in Toronto in the round of 32. Martínez emphasised the difference in styles:
Renato Veiga summed up the mood in the camp:Colombia and Croatia are totally different. The game idea and the way they try to explore space are distinct.
He added that as Portugal they enter every match to win. With Spain likely awaiting in the next round should Portugal advance, the hard path that Marca warned about is already visible.We didn’t win but we also didn’t lose. We had chances to score and the ball didn’t go in.
