Merino’s last-gasp winner sends Spain past Portugal as Ronaldo’s World Cup career ends in tears

DALLAS: Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time strike earned Spain a 1-0 victory over Portugal at Dallas Stadium and a FIFA World Cup quarter-final place. Luis De La Fuente’s team will now head to Los Angeles Stadium to play against Belgium.

The final whistle of the match marked the end of Christiano Ronaldo’s time on football’s biggest stage. “This will be my last World Cup,” he reiterated pre-match. The 41-year-old hit 11 goals in 27 games and set multiple milestones, including becoming the first man to score in six editions.

A balanced start, with Spain showing more attacking intent and Oyarzabal shooting forcing a tight save from Diogo Costa after just three minutes. Portugal responded promptly, with Cancelo’s run down the right culminating in a powerful shot that went over the bar.

A few minutes later, Olmo set up Oyarzabal, who, as Diogo Costa came out, shot wide. In a back-and-forth game, Cristiano Ronaldo unleashed a powerful shot that Unai Simón saved incompletely.

Fifteen frantic minutes, with Spain taking advantage of a quick attack, with two great saves from Diogo Costa, from shots by Lamal and Baena. Portugal managed to balance the game, hold off Spain, with the best opportunity arising from an assist by Joao Felix for an acrobatic shot by Ronaldo. Unai Simon saved it. This was Portugal’s best moment in the match, culminating in a shot from Nuno Mendes that hit the crossbar, after a deflection by Pedro Porro.

The game remained balanced in the second half, but Portugal looked more dangerous, especially with Pedro Neto’s incursions down the right flank. Even without Nuno Mendes, who was replaced by Nélson Semedo due to injury, the national team managed, with varying degrees of difficulty, to thwart Spanish attacks.

In a very tight game, tactical schemes took on greater importance, with Lamine Yamal forcing Diogo Costa to make a save for a corner from a free kick.

The introduction of Rafael Leao in the final 15 minutes livened up the Portuguese game, and it was a move by the Portuguese forward that gave Bruno Fernandes one of the best chances to score, with the ball ending up in the side netting.

It was near the end of extra time that, in an attacking move, Mikel Merino broke free and scored past Diogo Costa. Then, in the final third of extra time, Bernardo Silva had a chance to equalize with his head, but his shot went just wide of the post. IANS

Match Stats

Portugal                                          Spain

45%     Possession                55%

10         Shots                         15

2           Shots on target          6

1           Big chances missed 2

5           Corners                    5

357       Accurate passes      467

84%     Passing accuracy   88%

9           Foul against             13

2           Offsides                     1

2           Yellow cards             1

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