Mikel Merino scored a stoppage-time winner to send Spain into the quarter-finals of the World Cup, eliminating Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in the process. The goal came in the first minute of second-half injury time when Merino ran onto Ferran Torres's through-ball and calmly rolled the ball past Diogo Costa.
Merino's dramatic winner
Merino celebrated with a run around the corner flag, echoing his father's celebration after scoring for Osasuna in Stuttgart in 1991. The goal was reminiscent of his winner against Germany at the Euros two years ago. Spain progressed to face the United States or Belgium in Los Angeles on Friday.
Ronaldo's farewell
For Cristiano Ronaldo, this was the end of his World Cup journey. At 41, he confirmed after the match that he has played his last World Cup game, saying, "I go with a clear conscience." He is the only player to score in six World Cups, but he will not score in another one. As the final whistle blew, he stood staring bleakly into the middle distance, mortality having caught up with him at last.
Ronaldo's end has been coming for at least four years, since the last-16 tie at the Qatar World Cup when he was left out against Switzerland and his replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win. This was the most impotent of farewells, with Ronaldo largely ineffective throughout the match. He had a few hopeful shots but lacked the pace and energy to drive forward, often checking back and passing to his right-back.
Spain's midfield dominance
Leaving Ronaldo aside, this was a battle of two highly gifted midfields, and for the most part, Spain had the better of it. Rodri, slowly starting to look again like the player he was in the Euros before his ACL injury, bossed situations with dismissive calm. Nuno Mendes had a fine game for Portugal, shutting down Lamine Yamal and hitting the bar with a deflected shot just before half-time. However, when Mendes overstretched in blocking a Lamine Yamal shot and had to go off, the Barcelona teenager began to exert a greater influence.
Concerns for Spain
Despite the win, concerns linger from the group stage that this is not a Spain with the cutting edge of the Euros two years ago. Lamine Yamal, perhaps because of injury, has been less effective than he was then, and none of the players who have operated on the left have offered the same threat as Nico Williams did. But Spain had enough to overcome Portugal and advance.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, pursued by a TV camera, trudged down the tunnel into the darkness. To rage against the dying of the light is natural and can be admirable, but this was a farewell so limp as to feel almost tawdry.
