Bruno Fernandes has pinpointed Portugal's overly defensive approach in the second half as the fatal mistake that led to their World Cup exit against Spain. The Manchester United captain was visibly frustrated after the 1-0 defeat in Dallas, where Mikel Merino's 91st-minute strike sent La Roja into the quarter-finals.
Portugal's first-half dominance fades
The heavyweight last-16 contest appeared destined for extra time after a tight first half. Portugal created several opportunities, with Fernandes hitting the side-netting in the 76th minute. Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal wasted an early chance, dragging his shot wide, while Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced a fine double save to deny Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena.
However, Spain's substitutions changed the game. One of four changes, Mikel Merino, showcased his reputation as a super sub under Luis de la Fuente. The Arsenal midfielder calmly slotted past Costa after being put through by Ferran Torres in the 91st minute.
Fernandes criticises tactical shift
Fernandes was clear about where Portugal went wrong. 'In the first half, we were superior, but in the second half we made the mistake again of dropping too deep and giving the ball to the opponent. When that happens, we end up suffering,' he told Portuguese media. 'Spain deserves credit, but I believe that if we had continued doing what we were doing in the first half, we would have left here with a different result.'
The 31-year-old struggled to find positives but stressed hope for the future. 'The assessment can't be positive. It would only be positive if we reached the end,' he added. 'I know we've never won a World Cup and we always set the bar very high, but, with some certainty, this group had the quality to win the World Cup.'
Emotional end for Ronaldo and Martinez
Cristiano Ronaldo was seen wiping away tears as referee Anthony Taylor blew the final whistle, with the veteran forward's international future seemingly ending after a record-equaling sixth World Cup. Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez confirmed the match would be his last in charge after three-and-a-half years.
'It's true that this is my last game,' Martinez explained. 'But I have to thank the Portuguese people, it was an incredible source of pride. I will carry this memory with me for the rest of my life. I also want to thank the players for their work.'
Fernandes: 'We lost ourselves'
Fernandes elaborated on Portugal's second-half struggles. 'We faltered by giving Spain too much of the game, which is what they really want. Then our legs start to get heavy, the spaces start to get bigger,' he said. 'We should have continued to be aggressive, tried to prevent Spain from playing so much, we should have played more with the ball, we have the quality for that and we ended up losing ourselves a little.'
He concluded: 'It's a missed opportunity, we had the quality to win the World Cup. We couldn't get the best out of everyone in the best way and we left the World Cup prematurely.' Spain now face either Belgium or the USA in the quarter-finals as they continue their quest for a second global title.
