and welcome to all of our viewers from around the world we have quite a game in Prospect here just waiting for the players to emerge welcome to ofy underway Portugal against Croatia my name is Peter try and here's my co- commentator for the game it's Jim Begley well thanks Peter there's a great sense of anticipation in this Stadium I've been hit by it too anticipation and hope ahead of the opening fixture supporters on all four sides rise for the national anthems [Music] the crowd Rises for the national anth of Portugal [Music] [Music] [Applause] quick look at the line [Music] there's the whistle and here we go Jim you've played in games of this nature who can make the difference well I can't bypass Cristiano Ronaldo he know knows how to get the job done because he's got the lot I know I need to be careful about bias but I really hope we see all the skills from him and and that he puts on a show for yeah I'm inclined to agree HS it up [Applause] field good challenge he just stood firm it's broken loose Cristiano Ronaldo gets it back Xiao Canelo crosses one in ambitious to say the least he seemed to be in a hurry to get that in teric [Music] rovic k well positioned to make that interception canel full tilt down the left Aim forward Cristiano Ronaldo with a delicate ball hits one he's done very well to get to that a he made that look really easy Peter but but I can assure you that wasn't a routine save he had to be very switched on there [Applause] shapes the shoot and that's off Target well this has been an aggressive attacking start from them they've been very much on the front foot and if they maintain this pressure it's looking very good for them and it's perisic into the channel now here's the through ball who's ball who's going to get there who's going to make this theirs forward what does he throw from here this is quite a run and he's not done yet loose who's getting there [Applause] [Laughter] par oh has cross the line and it's a [Applause] [Music] throw xia [Applause] Cristiano [Music] Ronaldo just looks like a good ball [Applause] through Jiao Canelo and it's Cristiano Ronaldo Modric grovich terasic played out to the wing Portugal have a free kick Cristiano Ronaldo Croatia looking really energetic early on it is a high press now it's Cristiano Ronaldo HS come [Applause] [Applause] loose it's G out for a throw in [Applause] on the left hand side now to profit from [Applause] it wonderful quick feat the shots on it's in and that looks to me very much like an own goal oh it's an unusual turn of events it was an honest attempt to help out and I suppose it can happen to anyone [Applause] so one moment's crazy confusion but they all count listen sometimes you need that little bit of look in games like these forward it goes nicely [Applause] controlled looks to thread it through [Music] Xiao [Music] [Applause] canel Croatia are already trailing here early on they cannot afford to let this get worse well the task is obviously a lot tougher and they can't afford to waste time feeling sorry for themselves the correct response is greater focus at work right now and especially especially avoiding another goal [Music] No Nonsense and it had to be PS it forwards rovic battles to win it [Applause] back he's made sure that that won't get through the ball's come loose and the chase is on Saved only by poor finishing he was right in front go and he probably should have scored to be fair [Music] [Applause] and out to safety keep it done ever so well wasn't the easiest of Sav by any means Peter and I think his instincts were well they were just razor sharp out on the left now passes it through [Applause] Modric DS one in going to throw in [Applause] pic did well to step in there that was more than necessary goes wide now here's the through ball [Music] that it's brovich oh good ball it's a loose ball brovich with the ball through [Applause] and that's a throw it it'll be a throw in [Music] [Applause] out once more decent progress down the [Applause] left xia celo [Applause] now the cross managed to get it [Music] away Xiao canella looks to slip it through what a save terrific reactions [Applause] [Music] Modric defending was strong and firm gets it back Cristiano Ronaldo [Applause] brovich gets his foot in there and it's kovic tries a through ball now here's the through ball terich did well to pick out terich but he was just unable to find a shot [Applause] he's got the ball he's got the space and the flag has stayed down he is not one readily to admit defeat don't be surprised if he tries that again it wouldn't have been the most eye-catching goal we' seen ultimately the numbers prevented him from scrambling it in [Applause] he sorted that out it's a long forward pass Cristiano Ronaldo [Music] perisic kovic now the pass shade too heavy people could pick that up Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo can't hurt you with his back to goal and I think if they can keep him facing in that direction then the only thing he can do really is to just lay the ball off and and he's not really going to cause much trouble if he continues doing that so I think they're defending him very very [Applause] well passes it through away from immediate danger that's not the Crossing had in mind has a swing at it oh just fizzes past the post [Applause] [Applause] tries a long pass towards the front perisic promising cross that's not going to find its Target and it's Modric J Canela are trailing here with the first half almost done Christiano Ronaldo tries a through ball it's there two up and threatening to pull [Applause] clear given such an open invitation I just think it's clever positioning from clever movement and when all of that is synchronized with the right pass that's what happens [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Portugal gra a couple of goals without reply it's 2-n well at 1- n this contest was still nicely poised but now that it's gone to two mindsets are affected a lot more winning belief one way and that losing feeling the other [Applause] got through and he's straight offs side look all it needs now is a slightly later run beyond that defense and the flag will stay down it's a move that looks very promising and of course the timing is absolutely key and it's Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo that's gone a long way up and away [Applause] balls out it'll be a throw in again is it out of home's [Applause] way still going where to next it's a very good battle there terrific to watch [Music] watch spooned forward perisic no surprise at all that this is the guy who's had such a positive impact well having that sort of player in your side is reassuring because the rest of the team knows he can make his influence count at any stage it's simply part of his package when he really wants to this fellow scores [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] oh well intercepted really alerts the danger truthfully it was hard to see any better outcome there and he's on side oh that's neat oh great ball thrust towards the front line there is the halftime whistle look being behind Peter is bad enough but the own goal on top of that adds insult to injury if they're to avoid it getting any worse uh a serious turnaround is is now [Applause] required and we're off again well this half might require them to produ the question that's a foul kovic Cristiano Ronaldo Xiao canella [Applause] T he's darted infield [Applause] Modric boots it up [Applause] field brovich spreads It Wide out for a throw [Applause] [Applause] [Music] early ball well when the options aren't quite present in the Box it's the Crosser interest to uh to hold on for the [Applause] support it's a good run down the left hand side run this he's covered quite a distance out to the flank here comes another cross firmly met now it's Cristiano Ronaldo kovic [Music] Xiao [Music] caneles the route one [Applause] [Applause] option modri brovich looks to slip it through fine defending [Music] [Applause] there and it's Cristiano Ronaldo some excellent tackling here and that one a perfect example brovich sh looks like a good ball through there's no flag whistle gone that's a [Applause] foul he's had a shot what about it the second half sparked straight into life great reactions in front of goal he just saw what was on oh players like this fella almost have a six sense to get themselves in such great poaching positions how quick-minded was [Applause] that for the back Croatia get themselves back into contention I think they probably needed an early goal in this half just to give them the confidence and belief to push on and look for an equalizer and it's Cristiano Ronaldo looking to force his way through brovich tries to get it Forward quickly kovic passes it through that's a more memorable moment which was on the cards because they started this second half with good focus and energy levels and now they've got incentive to chase another Xiao [Music] canella looking for options good challenge he just stood firm someone looks