Chapter 622: Consecutive Victories
At halftime, Santos checked on Bruno's condition. Bruno reassured him that he was fine, stating that the rough tackles from the Russians had left only some bruises and hadn't caused any real injury.
Still, Santos remained uneasy. He repeatedly warned Bruno to be extra cautious in the second half. If this were a group-stage match rather than a knockout game, Santos might have substituted Bruno to avoid risking him further.
In the second half, Russia's challenges became even more aggressive, sparking frustration among Portugal's players. The game grew increasingly intense, with tempers flaring on both sides.
Four Portuguese players received yellow cards, but Bruno wasn't among them. He stayed focused on his mission: not to get caught up in petty fights with the Russians, but to defeat them.
In the 63rd minute, Bruno's patience finally paid off.
With a precise, razor-sharp pass, he found Cristiano Ronaldo in the box, who finished with a clinical strike into the far bottom corner of the net. Portugal led 1-0!
The Portuguese bench erupted with cheers, as did their fans in the stands. Chants of "Portugal, Portugal!" filled the air, momentarily drowning out the boos from the Russian crowd. But the home fans quickly retaliated with noise to overpower the Portuguese cheers.
After scoring, Ronaldo turned to the Russian crowd and roared in celebration, finally venting his pent-up frustration. He was acutely aware of Bruno's contributions to Portugal's recent success in major tournaments. Though Bruno's rise had somewhat overshadowed Ronaldo's status in both Portuguese and world football, Ronaldo knew that national glory was far more important than individual accolades.
To Ronaldo, Bruno was not just a teammate but a brother. Watching his brother endure rough treatment throughout the match had filled him with anger, which he now unleashed with his goal celebration.
Seeing Portugal take the lead, Santos didn't hesitate. He quickly substituted Bruno out of the game to protect him.
Bruno understood the decision was for his own good and didn't complain, even though he felt the Russians' fouls were as insignificant as mosquito bites.
As Bruno left the pitch, it wasn't just Santos who breathed a sigh of relief; Portuguese fans watching at home did too. They knew how critical Bruno was to the national team.
In recent years, Portugal's success in major tournaments wasn't solely due to Ronaldo's brilliance but also Bruno's emergence. If Bruno were injured, the team's chances would plummet. No one wanted to see a scenario where Bruno had to play through injury to lead Portugal to the World Cup final.
After Bruno's substitution, Portugal's performance noticeably dipped. Their attacks lost direction without him orchestrating the midfield. Previously, the players simply passed the ball to Bruno and let him dictate the attack. Without him, they had to rely on João Moutinho, whose abilities, while commendable, were no match for Bruno's.
Eventually, Santos instructed the team to retreat and defend their one-goal lead, prioritizing victory over aesthetics.
Though the game became scrappy, Portugal had played far uglier matches before—ones where they lost both the game and their dignity. In this case, while the match was unattractive, Portugal retained their pride.
Thanks to a united defensive effort, Portugal held onto their 2-1 lead until the final whistle. They eliminated the host nation, Russia, and advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals.
Portugal's next opponent in the quarterfinals was determined later that night when Croatia faced Denmark. The two teams battled for 120 minutes, with Croatia prevailing 3-2 in a penalty shootout.
As Bruno had predicted, Croatia advanced. His memories as a time traveler reminded him that Croatia would go on to reach the final in this World Cup.
Elsewhere, the other quarterfinal matchups were:
Uruguay vs. FranceBrazil vs. BelgiumSweden vs. England
If Portugal could overcome Croatia, they would face the winner of Sweden vs. England in the semifinals.
Regarding the matchup against Croatia, most pundits favored Portugal. As the reigning European and Confederations Cup champions, Portugal boasted an impressive track record in recent years. Ranked third in the world and featuring superstars like Ronaldo and Bruno, Portugal appeared superior to Croatia, ranked 20th.
Within the Portuguese camp, optimism was also high. Many players were confident about defeating Croatia. They believed they had the upper hand due to their familiarity with Croatia's star player, Luka Modrić, especially Ronaldo and Pepe, who had played alongside him at Real Madrid.
However, Bruno remained cautious. He understood Croatia's strengths better than anyone. With Modrić at the helm, Croatia was a well-rounded team with players from Europe's top clubs in peak form. This was why they reached the final and continued to excel in subsequent tournaments.
Bruno warned his teammates not to underestimate Croatia, cautioning that overconfidence could lead to disaster. After all, Croatia had dominated their group stage with three wins, scoring seven goals and conceding just one. They even thrashed Lionel Messi's Argentina 3-0.
Ronaldo and Pepe took Bruno's warnings seriously, knowing firsthand how formidable Modrić was. If Bruno was the best midfielder in the world, Modrić was undoubtedly second—and arguably his equal.
The quarterfinal match between Portugal and Croatia was set for July 7th at Sochi's Fisht Olympic Stadium, where Portugal had previously faced Spain. Both teams had ample rest after their Round of 16 victories.
On the day of the match, over 20,000 Portuguese fans filled the stadium, eager to witness their team make history.
From the moment the referee blew the whistle, the game was a high-octane battle. Croatia played aggressively, determined to topple Portugal. But Portugal responded with equal intensity.
In the 2nd minute, Ronaldo received the ball in open space, turned, and delivered a through ball to Bernardo Silva. It was a golden opportunity, but Silva's hesitation allowed Vida to recover and intercept the play.
Croatia immediately countered, with Rakitić sending the ball to the right flank. Kramarić crossed it into the box, where Mandžukić's header was saved by Rui Patrício.
Both teams traded attacks in the opening minutes, but neither could find the breakthrough.
Finally, in the 29th minute, Portugal struck. William Carvalho intercepted a pass in midfield and sent a through ball to Ronaldo.
Ronaldo cut into the box but found himself closed down by both Lovren and Vida. Out of options, he passed diagonally to the left.
Bruno surged forward, calmly placing a right-footed shot into the net.
1-0!
When the final whistle blew, the Fisht Olympic Stadium erupted with cheers from Portuguese fans.
The scoreboard read Portugal 1-0 Croatia, thanks to Bruno's decisive goal in the first half.
Bruno was deservedly named Man of the Match for his outstanding performance. Beyond his goal, he created multiple scoring chances for Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and Moutinho, though none of them could capitalize.
Regardless, Bruno's brilliance was undeniable. Portuguese fans chanted his name, recognizing his immense contribution to the team.
Among Portugal's players, only two were truly irreplaceable: Ronaldo, the captain and leader, and Bruno, the midfield maestro. Together, they kept Portugal's dreams alive.
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