GHOSTING GVARDIOL LIFTS CROATIA SPIRITS

His equaliser against Portugal sends team into q-finals, forces Scotland into play-offs

For Iosko Gvardiol, it was a matter of if you do not succeed, try, try again.

On Nov 18, the Croatia defender continued his scoring streak to earn his side a 1-1 home draw with Portugal that allowed them to squeak into the Nations League quarter-finals.

Portugal had already sealed top spot in Group Al. The draw allowed Croatia to finish one point above Scotland, who continued their late surge with a 2-1 win over Poland in Warsaw.

In Group A4, Spain, already assured of qualification, beat lastplaced Switzerland 3-2 in Tenerife. Denmark secured second place in the group with a 0-0 draw in Serbia.

Back at Poljud Stadium in Split, Portugal took a 33rd-minute lead when Ioao Felix neatly finished a sharp counter-attack.

With Scotland winning in Warsaw after a third-minute goal from Iohn Mc Ginn, set up by Ben Doak, Croatia were heading out.

Gvardiol, ghosting at the far post, had a header on 62 minutes disallowed for offside. He did not give up and repeated the move three minutes later, sneaking in unmarked and onside to squeeze a close-range shot through Iose Sa.