Croatia took on Portugal in a friendly at neutral Switzerland on Monday night and followed up their defeat to Scotland with another 1-0 reverse.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the brightest spark in an otherwise dull first half and he finished off a fine Silvestre Varela back-heel to drill a low shot into the bottom corner.
In the second half Croatia were better following Ronaldo's half-time withdrawal, but did not test Eduardo enough in the Portugal goal and as such were unable to pull themselves level.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Thanks for joining me tonight. Take a look at our match report for a summary of the game and please do stick around for news and reaction from around the sporting world. Goodbye!
That's the whistle! Ronaldo's goal is enough, but all in all it was a poor game of football. Croatia draw a blank for the second game running. They didn't show enough until late in the second half.
FULL-TIME: Croatia 0-1 Portugal
They win another corner through Modric, who was tackled by Custodo and it's an incredibly uninspiring punch from Eduardo, who has been exactly the opposite of Subasic tonight. From the second corner Vida heads it into the ground and wide. That might be it with a minute left.
Three minutes of stoppage time are indicated. Can Croatia get the equaliser? It's taken until now for them to show urgency and they're nearly out of time.
Croatia are finishing this half much the brighter side. It's Halilovic again on the right, who weaves his way into the box but this time finds his effort blocked from an angle. He's really shown his talent in this cameo tonight.
CLOSE! Halilovic, who really has been Croatia's best player since coming on, cuts into the box on the right and shoots low with his left foot. However Eduardo gets a touch to tip it wide - it might have been off target anyway, but that's a good effort from the youngster.
PORTUGAL SUB: The men in red change things again. This time it's Varela, who has been quiet this half, who makes way for Joao Pereira.
PORTUGAL SUB: Moutinho, one of tonight's better players, comes off for Andre Martins.
Modric is still working really hard and his tackle almost sets up a chance. Halilovic breaks down the left but his cross is put behind with blue shirts waiting.
Still Portugal are pressing right up to the goalkeeper. That's about the only area where there has actually been energy tonight. Vieirinha, who has been excellent aside from an end product since he has come on, overhits a cross and it goes out of play.
It was Ilicevic who Perisic came on for a moment ago, by the way. Portugal also make some changes. Croatia come forward again but once more that killer ball cannot find a front man. This time Perisic's headed shot-pass goes out of play. Oliveira comes on for Almeida.
There's plenty of passing in their own half by Croatia, but it tends to fizzle out. This time Modric pings it into Perisic, but his shot from way out is even further wide.
Subasic has been good from crosses and corners tonight. He claims another one - albeit at the second attempt. Croatia try to come forward with Perisic, who has just come on, but his cross cannot beat the first man and Portugal get it back.
CHANCE: It's become a little bit more open in the last few minutes, but both sides are struggling with their final ball. Quite what the managers are getting from this, I'm not sure. Vieirinha again with good work on the left but his cross is behind Almeida and it's cleared for a corner.
Meanwhile, Kalinic and Kovacic are on for the Croats with Olic and Corluka making way.
There are three around Modric as he picks up the ball in his own half, but he's fouled by at least one of them. Croatia work a good move with Halilovic crossing, but Srna's half volley is blocked for a corner.
The substitutions and cards have once more slowed the pace of this one right down. Portugal are still pressing Croatia right up to their own penalty box.
Portugal have another free kick and this time it's accompanied by a yellow card. Vukojevic goes into the book and he can have few complaints really.
CROATIA SUB: Another change for Croatia, as Ademi comes on for Rakitic.
Good work from Vieirinha down the left, who slid in on Corluka to win the ball before being hauled down. However, nothing comes from the resulting free kick and Croatia can come again from the back.
This is a bit better from Portugal. Coentrao bursts into the box and is found with a ball over the top by Amorim, but the Real man had just strayed offside as he headed across to Almeida. They're seeing much more of the ball now, though and are pressing Croatia high up the pitch.
CROATIA SUB: Here does come Halilovic, who comes on for Strinic. That's an attacking move from the Croatians.
I didn't see any changes from Croatia, but from my understanding Alen Halilovic could be readied for an appearance in the second half. That could be a huge moment for the 16-year-old - he's a very exciting prospect. Still Croatia attack, but Olic is tackle on the edge of the box by Sereno.
It was Bruno Alves and Ronaldo who made way, in fact. Croatia have started brightly in the second half, but are still struggling when in the final third.
KICKOFF: We're back underway for the second half.
SUBS: Sereno and Vieirinha are both on for the Portuguese. I think Varela has come off, but I'm not sure of the other change as the graphic didn't show up.. I'll let you know when I can.
Ronaldo's goal was one of few pieces of quality in the game. The touch from Varela to find him and then his own touch to create space for the shot were lovely. It's just what the game needed, which before had a real lack of quality.
Croatia simply need to create more. A couple of times they have been lively down the left, with Olic and Milic both finding space, but there has been very little support from midfield. For me, Rakitic and Modric are too deep and unable to influence play.
Well, it wasn't the most exciting half, but Portugal do deserve their lead. Moutinho, Ronaldo and Coentrao have been promising, but no-one in the Croatia side has stood out.
HALF-TIME: Croatia 0-1 Portugal
It doesn't look like Croatia will get back into this, certainly not by half time. Portugal are in control and despite not testing Subasic all that much deserve their lead.
CHANCE! It could be 2-0! Ronaldo meets a left-wing cross from Coentrao and heads down into the ground and on to the bar.
Ronaldo finally brightens up what has otherwise been a dull game. It's a good move; Silvio crosses to Varela, who backheels to Ronaldo. He takes a touch to put it on his left and drills into the bottom corner.
GOAL! Croatia 0-1 Portugal (Ronaldo)
Another fast break from Croatia as Rakitic finds himself wide right, but his cross is headed away. It comes to Srna, whose cross is barely dealt with by Eduardo and Olic's shot on the turn is cut short for an offside flag.
The ball bobbles around the Portugal box, before Rakitic tries to shoot on the turn. It's blocked and away come Portugal. Ronaldohas drifted to the right this time, but his cross is too deep and eventually Subasic gathers the ball.
Nice passing move by Croatia, involving Modric, Rakitic and Milic, but Varela is back and eventually wins the ball. However, he gives it away again.
Bit of a robust challenge there from Almeida, who tried to meet Ronaldo's header back to him but instead brought down Corluka. At the other end Ilicevic gets a sight of goal but fires over.
Olic gets Croatias first shot on target, but he had already been flagged offside. The replay suggests it was Kalinic to his left instead, but either way Eduardo tipped it over the bar.
Croatia do seem rather short of ideas. Modric is looking to play balls over the top from a deep position, but there's a lack of movement in front of him and as such he has failed to get in the game.
CHANCE: Moutinho pings it in to Ronaldo, who lays off to Almeida. He gets it back and finds Coentrao, who skips past a challenge and cuts across to Ronaldo, however it's slightly behind the winger and his left-footed shot is harmlessly wide.
Croatia are being forced quite deep but do look fairly dangerous on the break. Olic tries to cross from the left but there's no support in the middle and as such Portugal can bring it clear.
Ronaldo combines with Coentrao down the left. They play a neat one-two but the cross is cut out. Most of the action is happening down Ronaldo's flank, as you might expect, but Silvio plays a lovely pass with Varela and gets it back, but Srna is brave and strong and breaks the move down.
Croatia win a free kick from some range, but still Modric fancies his chances. It was unlikely to go in and he had the power, but it goes flying over the goal. He couldn't really have hoped for much better from there.
Moutinho finds a pocket of space about 40 yards out and tries to thread it in to Almeida, but the pass is cut out. Portugal are firmly on top of the game at the moment, but haven't yet tested Subasic.
At the other end Ronaldo drives down the left side for the second time and on this occasion is hauled over. Moutinho steps over the free kick, but it's too deep and straight into the gloves of Subasic.
Oh dear! A disastrous back pass from Ilvio sees Kalinic nip in and cross for Olic, but the latter's shot is skewed. That was some terrible defending but Portugal escape.
Silvio drives down the right from full-back and gets enough space to cross, but Almeida is always backtracking and puts his header well off target. It would have taken remarkable neck power to direct that on target.
It's Croatia with the early passing football, but the move is wasted when Strinic's long ball goes all the way through to Eduardo. Now Portugal pass it around the back to get themselves in the game.
KICKOFF: Portugal get us underway here in Geneva.
The pre-match pleasantries are done and we're almost set for kickoff.
It's pretty close, in truth. Portugal are slight favourites, but I suspect the team that they have put out might lengthen their odds. An 'away' win can be had at 13/10, with Croatia at 5/2 currently.
With less than five minutes to go, I'll take a quick look at the final odds.
For Paulo Bento and Portugal, it's quite an experimental side. Just Bruno Alves, Joao Moutinho and Cristiano Ronaldo keep their place from the win over Russia. Hugo Almeida replaces Helder Postiga, the goalscorer, up front.
So Mario Mandzukic, who failed to impress against the Scots, is not named to start. In his place comes Milic, but Ivica Olic does keep his place in the team and partners Milic up top. Otherwise it's a strong Croatia team that also includes Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic.
PORTUGAL XI: Eduardo; Coentrao, Bruno Alves, Ricardo Costa, Silvio; Custodio; Moutinho, Amorim; Varela, Almeida, Ronaldo
CROATIA XI: Subasic; Srna, Corluka, Vida, Strinic; Milic; Rakitic, Modric, Vukocevic; Olic, Ilicevic
Let's get to the team news then, shall we?
Portugal's last game was also 1-0, but they were on the right end of the result. They beat Russia, which could be a very important result - they go top, but Russia still have two games in hand so are still favourites.
In their last game, Croatia very much failed to impress. It was a World Cup qualifier and they went down 1-0 to Scotland. Automatic qualification will now be very tricky for them and in tonight's friendly they'll be playing for form and their place in the competitive games.
Hello everyone and thanks for joining me tonight. We have Croatia against Portugal in a friendly - in Switzerland, though.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
