Merino’s Late Strike Powers Spain to a 1-0 Victory over Portugal to progress towards the Quarter Finals

Khel Today Bureau 

Dallas: The much-anticipated Round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain was held at Dallas Stadium. Spanish super-sub Mikel Merino scored a last-minute winner to rescue Spain with a 1-0 victory over Portugal, sending them through to the quarter-finals. Spain will face the winner of the USA vs Belgium match in the quarter-finals. The match also marked Cristiano Ronaldo’s final FIFA World Cup appearance for Portugal.

In the pre-match press conference, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last for Portugal. His path towards World Cup glory had one final obstacle in the form of a sensational Spain side – a team packed with playmakers, a solid defence, and La Masia graduate Lamine Yamal. In the opening 20 minutes, Spain enjoyed 59% possession and registered three shots on target, two of which were superbly saved by Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

In the 37th minute, Portugal came close to scoring the opening goal of the match, but attempts from João Félix and Cristiano Ronaldo were both saved by Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón. Nuno Mendes struck a long-range effort in the 42nd minute, only for it to hit the post and rebound back into play. With both teams recording three shots on target each, the game was evenly poised heading into an exciting second half.

The second half began with both teams eager to score the opening goal and take the lead. Nuno Mendes was substituted in the 56th minute due to a possible injury, with Nélson Semedo coming on in his place. In the 75th minute, Rafael Leão created a chance for Bruno Fernandes inside the penalty area, but Portugal failed to convert the opportunity.

With six minutes added in stoppage time, Spain’s super-sub Mikel Merino scored the winner in the 90+1st minute, with Ferran Torres providing the assist to seal Spain’s place in the quarter-finals. Spain are yet to concede a goal in this edition of the FIFA World Cup, while Portugal’s campaign ended in the Round of 16.

Cristiano Ronaldo bowed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with three goals in five matches. His overall FIFA World Cup tally stands at 11 goals in 25 matches across six editions since 2006.

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE and exclusively on Zee 5 in Hindi, English, Malayalam, and Bangla.

De Ketelaere Stars as Belgium Brush Aside USA to Set Up Spain Showdown

Seattle: Belgium produced one of their most complete performances of the tournament to cruise into the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with a commanding 4-1 victory over the United States at Seattle Stadium. Charles De Ketelaere was the standout performer, scoring twice and providing an assist as the Red Devils returned to the World Cup quarter-finals after missing out in 2022.

Having topped Group G, Belgium started with intent and wasted little time in asserting themselves. Their early pressure paid off in the ninth minute when Nicolas Raskin drove a low ball across the face of goal, where De Ketelaere arrived at the back post to turn it home from close range and hand his side the perfect start.

Belgium dominated possession for much of the first half, controlling the tempo and limiting the United States to very few opportunities. The USMNT struggled to find any rhythm going forward and looked second best for long spells, with Belgium threatening to extend their advantage through quick combinations and intelligent movement in the final third.

Despite their lack of attacking threat, the Americans found an unexpected route back into the contest just after the half-hour mark. Malik Tillman’s free-kick took a significant deflection on its way past the goalkeeper, levelling the score with the United States’ first shot of the match and briefly shifting the momentum.

Belgium, however, needed just two minutes to respond.

Once again, it was De Ketelaere who delivered. The Atalanta forward lost his marker at the far post before meeting a pinpoint delivery with a composed header that looped over Tim Ream and into the net, restoring Belgium’s lead before half-time and completing his brace.

The Red Devils continued to dictate proceedings after the restart, refusing to allow the United States any sustained spell of pressure. Their third goal arrived through De Ketelaere’s persistence, as he capitalised on Matt Freese being caught out of position, poking the ball away from the American goalkeeper before squaring it for Hans Vanaken, who calmly rolled into an empty net.

With a two-goal cushion, Belgium played with confidence and composure, frustrating an American side that struggled to create meaningful openings against a disciplined defensive display. Every Belgian attack looked dangerous, while the USMNT found it increasingly difficult to break through.

There was still time for Belgium to add further gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time. Vanaken turned provider after winning possession high up the pitch with determined pressing, allowing Romelu Lukaku to race through and finish clinically. The strike was a fitting reward for Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer and capped off an emphatic evening for Domenico Tedesco’s side.

The statistics reflected Belgium’s dominance, with the Red Devils finishing the contest with an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.01 compared to the United States’ 0.63. They controlled the game for long periods and were clinical when their opportunities arrived.

Belgium now march into the quarter-finals, where a blockbuster meeting with Spain awaits at Los Angeles Stadium in four days’ time. For the United States, meanwhile, an encouraging campaign comes to an end in the Round of 16 after they were comfortably outplayed by one of the tournament’s most impressive teams.

About FIFA World Cup 2026 on ZEE 5 and Unite8 Sports:

The FIFA World Cup 2026™️ marks the beginning of a landmark long-term partnership between Zee Entertainment and FIFA, extending through 2034, to bring the world’s most prestigious football tournaments to audiences across India. Leveraging its two platforms, ZEE 5 and Unite8 Sports, Zee Entertainment will deliver an unparalleled viewing experience, offering comprehensive coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026™️in English, Hindi, Bangla, and Malayalam, enabling fans to engage with every moment of the tournament in their preferred language.

The partnership spans an extensive portfolio of marquee FIFA competitions, including the FIFA World Cup 2030™️, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™️, and other premier international tournaments. Through high-quality streaming, rich regional language offerings, and immersive fan-first experiences, ZEE5 and Unite8 Sports aim to bring global football closer to millions of Indian viewers through ‘Poora India Watchega’, their nationwide fan engagement campaign, playing a pivotal role in accelerating the growth of football fandom in the country.

About ZEE 5:

ZEE 5 is India’s leading homegrown video streaming platform and a global destination for South Asian content, available across 190+ countries. With a strong focus on regional storytelling under the philosophy of Apni Bhasha, Apni Kahaniyan, ZEE 5 offers content across multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi.