Spain advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 match at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Mikel Merino scored the winning goal in the 90+1st minute. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Match Summary
The match started with chances for both sides. Spain could have opened the scoring early when Mikel Oyarzabal broke into the box and shot just wide of the far post. Portugal responded with a shot from Cristiano Ronaldo from a tight angle, but Unai Simón saved it.
In the middle of the first half, Spain looked sharper. Lamine Yamal and Álex Baena both had dangerous shots on goal, but Diogo Costa saved twice. Portugal's best chance before halftime came from Nuno Mendes, whose shot hit the crossbar after a deflection.
Second Half and Winning Goal
After the break, Portugal lost Mendes to injury and replaced him with Nélson Semedo. Spain continued to dominate possession and approach the penalty area but struggled to convert their advantage into a goal.
In the second half, Yamal had a dangerous free kick that Costa tipped over the bar. Later, Dani Olmo received a pass from Oyarzabal and shot from inside the box, but Semedo blocked it with a sliding tackle.
The end of the match saw Spain applying pressure, and Luis de la Fuente's team finally broke through in stoppage time. In the 90+1st minute, Spain quickly took a free kick, and Ferran Torres received the ball in the center and played it into the box, threading it between a defender's legs. Merino was in the right place and calmly shot into the near corner to score the winning goal.
Next Stage
Spain continues its title quest and will face the winner of the USA vs. Belgium match in the quarterfinals.