Spain advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Portugal in the Round of 16 at Dallas Stadium. Mikel Merino came off the bench to score the only goal in the first minute of stoppage time, condemning Portugal and their captain Cristiano Ronaldo to an early exit. The breakthrough came when Rodri laid the ball off to Ferran Torres, who slipped Merino through on goal. The midfielder kept his composure and fired a low left-footed shot into the bottom-left corner beyond Diogo Costa. The match was a tense Iberian derby, with Spain dominating possession and chances but failing to find the net until the dying moments. Portugal came closest in the first half when Nuno Mendes' deflected strike rattled the crossbar. In the seventh minute of stoppage time, Bernardo Silva's header sailed over the bar, denying Portugal a last-gasp equaliser. Spain's victory extended their remarkable run without conceding a goal to six consecutive World Cup matches. Spain finished the match with 48% possession and 15 shots, six of which were on target. With this win, Spain will face Belgium in the quarter-finals, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's quest for a World Cup title at the age of 41.
