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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

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Mikel Merino qualifies Spain for quarterfinals on the verge of extension (0-1)

The Navarro, on a pass from Ferran Torres, scored in the 91st minute for Luis de la Fuente in the quarterfinals. Spain will be measured against the winner of the US-Belgika match.

Merino-España-Portugal-Mundial

Navarro Mikel Merino celebrates his decisive goal. Photo: EFE

The goal of Navarro Mikel Merino, who took advantage of a big Ferran Torres pass in the 91 minute , gave Spain the pass to the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals against Portugal (0-1). The winner of the US-Belgika match will be measured in that next round.

The opportunism of the Pamplonese midfielder, as in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Euro Cup against Germany, has appeared in Dallas to rank Spain in the 8th finals.

In the 16th minute Rodri put the ball on Lamine Yamal, in the only oversight of Nuno Mendes who went to attack and did not return. Lamine Yamal saw his rival far away and asked Rodrigo for the ball, but he made the mistake he repeated over and over again in this World Cup: poor definition.

A soft shot to the center of the goal was cleared by Diogo Costa, a warm-up for the Portuguese goalkeeper,wholater made a huge stop for Alex Baena. The ball did not reach the height he expected, and Diogo Costasent the ball to the corner.

It was the second warning from the Spanish, the first, in the 8th minute, at the feet of a Mikel Oyarzabal who had never failed before, but the Eibarrés failed only in front of the doorman, throwing himself straight out of the door.

Spain has dominated the first part and yet suffered. It is logical in an important match in this World Cup. Unai Simon has done the hardest work so far in the tournament. In the 37th minute , he pulleda header out of Joao Felix with his shoulder and a palomiteafter the forced shot of Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the 41st minute the longline saved Spain. Nuno Mendes s was left too much space on the front of the area, in a corner, the Portuguese side did not think, his score was touched with his head by Pedro Porro, and he went to the post.

The break has benefited Portugal, but Spain has found its moment with the passing of the minutes. Nuno Mendes has been injuredon one of the few occasions when Lamine Yamal has left him.

Olmo found no loopholes, but Ferran Torresdid. Taking another role in the attack, he shoved the ball deep so that Mikel Merino would reflect all the concepts of forward  learned in the last two years in the Arsenal.

Bernardo Silva and Joao Neves, in their last sigh, came close to a draw in two remates that went away by a little.

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