Substitute Mikel Merino scored one minute into second-half stoppage time to lift Spain to a dramatic 1-0 victory over Portugal on Monday, booking a spot in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals and bringing a heartbreaking end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary international career.
The all-Iberian Round of 16 clash at Dallas Stadium appeared destined for extra time after 90 minutes of cautious, tactical play.
The breakthrough came when two Spanish substitutes combined, as winger Ferran Torres delivered a precise pass to Merino, who slotted the ball past Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa to ignite wild celebrations.
The defeat marks the end of an era for the 41-year-old Ronaldo, who had previously confirmed this North American tournament would be his final World Cup.
The forward leaves the global stage as the first men's player to score in six different World Cup tournaments, finishing his tournament career with 11 goals in 27 matches.
Portugal had its chances earlier in the match, most notably when a deflected drive from Nuno Mendes rattled the crossbar.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón and the defense held firm, maintaining a remarkable defensive record of not conceding a single goal so far in the tournament.
Spain advances to the quarterfinals, where it will face Belgium on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium.
Following the match, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez announced he would step down from his position.
Comments
Add a comment