Last-gasp Mikel Merino strike gives Spain 1-0 win over Ronaldo’s Portugal in World Cup last 16

Merino the midfielder scored six minutes after coming off the bench to take the European champions into the last eight, prevailing where his teammates had been frustrated throughout by a determined and resilient Portuguese backline.

“Mikel Merino never lets us down, he’s a safe bet,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. “He helped us win the European Championship and is always there when it counts. He’s one of the best players in the world in his position.

“Mikel performs exceptionally well and is always exactly where he needs to be.”

Spain needed the quick-thinking Merino to unlock a Portugal defense that had frustrated de la Fuente’s side throughout a second half dominated by the 2010 title winners.

Introduced from the bench for Dani Olmo, it was Merino who started and finished the move that clinched victory for Spain, who will face either Belgium or the United States, who meet later, in the quarterfinals on July 10.

Having rolled a quickly-taken free kick to his left, Merino drifted into space on the fringe of the penalty area, where fellow substitute Ferran Torres found his unmarked team mate in the perfect position to strike into the bottom corner.

The outcome left Ronaldo crestfallen, the forward leaving the field to cheers from the sold-out crowd at Dallas Stadium as Portugal exited the tournament a day after the former Real Madrid forward had confirmed the tournament would be his last World Cup.

Early attacking intent

The Spaniards progressed after both teams had shown their attacking intent early, Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal testing goalkeeper Diogo Costa from distance and Portugal’s Joao Cancelo lashing his rising shot over the crossbar.

Oyarzabal should have put the Spaniards ahead after eight minutes when a slick move sliced through the Portuguese midfield with Dani Olmo’s incisive first-time pass releasing the Real Sociedad man who dragged his shot wide of Costa’s left post.

Bruno Fernandes then dispossessed Pedri to set up Ronaldo soon after, but ’keeper Unai Simon blocked the effort with ease.

Portugal’s Costa was then called on to make two saves in quick succession, denying Lamine Yamal from the right and, more spectacularly, Alex Baena’s follow-up with a full-stretch, fingertip effort.

Simon blocked Joao Felix’s header before pushing away Ronaldo’s volleyed effort on the rebound, while Nuno Mendes went closest of all with a shot that was redirected onto the bar by Pedro Porro’s header as Portugal finished the half on top.

Roberto Martinez’s side were reduced to playing on the counter after the interval, with Spain dominating possession.

“Obviously, Spain deserve credit. They have quality and great players, but I think that, based on what we did in the first half, if we’d carried on like that, we would have come away with a different result.”