TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Spain secured their spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup after defeating Portugal narrowly with a score of 1-0 in the Round of 16 match at Dallas Stadium in the early hours of Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Mikel Merino's injury time goal made the difference in the intense battle between the two European powerhouses.
From the opening whistle, Spain displayed more dominance in ball possession. The Matador team held 56 percent of the ball and recorded 15 shot attempts, six of which were on target. Meanwhile, Portugal waited for opportunities to counter-attack with nine shot attempts, but only two were on target.
Spain posed the first threat in the eighth minute. Mikel Oyarzabal received a pass at the edge of the penalty box, but his shot narrowly missed the right side of Portugal's goal.
Eight minutes later, Alex Baena came close to putting Spain in the lead. Taking advantage of a loose ball in front of the penalty box, Baena unleashed a powerful shot. However, goalkeeper Diogo Costa was alert, deflecting the ball to result in a corner kick.
Portugal only truly posed a serious threat in the 37th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo seized a rebound inside the penalty box and fired a powerful shot towards the middle of the goal. However, Unai Simon displayed exceptional reflexes, thwarting the golden opportunity.
Approaching halftime, Portugal had another chance through Nuno Mendes. The left-back penetrated to the edge of the penalty box before releasing a shot that deflected off a Spanish defender, hitting the goalpost, and maintaining the 0-0 score until the end of the first half.
Entering the second half, Portugal suffered a setback when Nuno Mendes sustained an injury and had to be substituted in the 56th minute. Nelson Semedo replaced him. Coach Roberto Martnez then attempted to change the course of the game by bringing in Rafael Leao, Diogo Dalot, Francisco Conceicao, and Bernardo Silva. Meanwhile, Spain responded by substituting Ferran Torres, Fabian Ruiz, and Mikel Merino to increase their attacking power.
These substitutions proved to be crucial. When the match seemed destined for extra time, Spain broke the deadlock in the 90+1st minute.
Ferran Torres delivered a precise pass into the penalty box, which was calmly met by Mikel Merino. The Spanish midfielder released a low shot to the bottom left corner of the goal, beyond the reach of Diogo Costa. This goal gave Spain a 1-0 lead.
Portugal attempted to respond in the remaining time but failed to create dangerous opportunities. In fact, Renato Veiga received a yellow card in the 90+4th minute for a harsh foul.
As the final whistle blew, the score remained 1-0. This victory propelled Spain into the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, while Portugal's journey came to an end in the Round of 16.
Read: Haaland vs Gabriel Rivalry Reaches 2026 World Cup Last 16
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