More than 5,700 miles from home, members of Houston’s Croatian community gathered Thursday evening at the Houston Croatian Club to watch Croatia take on Portugal in a Round of 32 World Cup knockout match.
The watch party at the club’s community center, tucked into an office park near Chinatown, began an hour before kickoff with music videos celebrating Croatia, its culture and its soccer tradition. Club president Krešimir Kurjaković welcomed supporters with traditional food and drinks, including lamb dishes such as janjetina and peka, along with Slivovitz.
The atmosphere shifted with every twist of the match. Fans erupted when Croatia scored the opening goal, filling the clubhouse with cheers, chants and waving Croatian flags. As Portugal battled back, the room grew tense, and supporters rode an emotional roller coaster until the final whistle. An apparent late equalizer for Croatia was ruled offside, sealing Portugal’s 2-1 victory but doing little to diminish the pride and camaraderie shared among Houston’s Croatian community.