Mikel Merino scored twice in the second half as Spain came from behind to beat Croatia 2-1 in Split, a result that confirmed their place in the Nations League quarter-finals. Ivan Perisic opened the scoring for Croatia, but his second yellow card in the 79th minute left the hosts with ten men and allowed Spain to complete the comeback.
Spain trailed after 17 minutes when Perisic reacted fastest to a loose ball following Josip Matanovic’s shot, nodding it into the net despite Unai Simon’s initial save. Croatia pressured Spain early on, forcing Simon into several saves, including from a Josip Stanisic header and another effort by Matanovic. The hosts looked to build on their lead but Spain responded with chances of their own before halftime, with Lamine Yamal’s strike deflected behind and Oyarzabal denied by Dominik Livakovic.
Luis de la Fuente made five changes from Spain’s recent win over Czechia, introducing Simon in goal alongside Marc Pubill, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, and Mikel Oyarzabal. Croatia’s lineup also shifted under Slaven Bilic after their heavy defeat to England, with Josip Sutalo, Kristijan Jakic, Igor Matanovic, and Nikola Vlasic starting.
Spain’s equalizer came in the 61st minute after Dani Olmo seized on a poor clearance and played the ball to Merino, who finished low into the bottom corner. Merino’s goal reignited the visitors, but the match turned decisively in Spain’s favour when Perisic received a second yellow card for a foul on Cucurella in the 79th minute.
Playing with an extra man, Spain pressed for the winner. Merino controlled a pass from Arsenal teammate Martin Zubimendi before turning and shooting past Livakovic in the 88th minute to complete the turnaround. The victory keeps Spain unbeaten in the Nations League this year, extending their run to 42 games without defeat and maintaining their perfect record in Group A3 with four wins from four matches.
Croatia’s chances dried up after Perisic’s dismissal, despite efforts from Matanovic and Vlasic earlier in the match. Simon made a solid save to deny a strong strike from Perisic before his sending off, but the Croatian side was unable to hold Spain back once the game tipped in the visitors’ favour.
Spain’s squad rotation and tactical adjustments paid off as they overcame an early deficit and a spirited Croatian team. Merino’s two late goals ensured Spain’s progression to the quarter-finals of this year’s Nations League. The visitors will now look ahead to their next fixtures while Croatia face the challenge of regrouping following the setback in Split.
According to Yahoo Sports.
