Arsenal and Spain midfielder, Mikel Merino, came off the bench on Monday night to score an injury-time 1-0 winner that knocked Portugal – and Cristiano Ronaldo – out of the World Cup in a heavyweight last-16 tie in Dallas.
The victory has set up a potential La Roja clash with Belgium who defeated co-hosts USA 4-1. Their quarter final fixture will hold in Los Angeles on Friday, 10 July @8.00pm.
Before that goal came in the 91st minute, Spain had failed to create clear-cut openings in a poor second half before Ferran Torres laid the pass to Merino to fire the winner beyond the reach of Portugal’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa
The 1-0 result was also a repeat of their meeting at the same stage at the 2010 edition of the World Cup in South Africa.
Portugal’s defeat also ends 41-year-old five-time Champions League winner Ronaldo’s World Cup career after the superstar confirmed this tournament would be his last.
