Spain Beat Portugal: Record Sixth Straight Clean Sheet Seals Quarter-Final Spot

Mikel Merino strikes late

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La Roja made World Cup history with a sixth consecutive clean sheet, beating Portugal 1-0. Merino's late strike ended Portugal's hopes and Ronaldo's World Cup career.

Six clean sheets in a row, Spain Edge Portugal to end Ronaldo's World Cup dream...

Spain made World Cup history with a sixth straight clean sheet, edging Portugal 1-0 in Dallas in the last 16. The win also means Portugal still haven’t managed back-to-back knockout victories at a World Cup since 2006.

Buoyed by four goals in Spain’s first four games, Mikel Oyarzabal had an early go from 25 yards in a scrappy opening, but Diogo Costa dealt with it easily. He had a better chance soon after when Dani Olmo put him through, only to slice his shot wide.

Cristiano Ronaldo was chasing Oyarzabal at the top of the scoring charts, and he got his first opening after 12 minutes. But the angle was tight and Unai Simon saved it comfortably.

 

Diogo Costa had more to do at the other end. He denied Lamine Yamal, then scrambled up to push away Álex Baena’s follow-up.

  

The hydration break in the first half slowed things down a bit. Around the 30-minute mark though, Pau Cubarsí nearly got on the end of a Pedri cross into the box, forcing Diogo Costa to stick out a foot to block.

Portugal weathered more Spanish pressure before hitting back in the 37th minute. João Félix flicked a deep cross back into the mixer for Ronaldo, but Unai Simón gathered his acrobatic effort.

Portugal were unfortunate not to lead at half-time. A short corner fell to Nuno Mendes who drilled it toward goal, but a deflection off Pedro Porro sent it crashing against the crossbar instead.

  

The first 15 minutes of the second half passed with no shots on target from either team. Pedri finally broke the drought, but his effort was deflected over after a neat lay-off from Mikel Olmo.

  

Alex Baena tried his luck next with a tame shot that Diogo Costa saved comfortably. Costa was tested again soon after the second drinks break, tipping a Lamine Yamal free-kick over the bar.

 

Portugal pushed forward on a rare occasion, now without the injured Nuno Mendes. Vitinha’s shot took a deflection and fell to Bruno Fernandes, but he blazed it into the side netting.

But Martinez’s team were back under siege moments later. Rúben Dias threw himself in the way to block a Mikel Olmo strike that was heading for the bottom corner.

Extra time looked inevitable until Spain broke through in the first minute of stoppage time. Substitute Mikel Merino timed his run perfectly to meet Ferran Torres’ through ball, and he slotted past Diogo Costa to win it.

It’s the second time Spain have knocked Portugal out 1-0 in the World Cup last 16, the first coming en route to lifting the trophy in 2010. Bernardo Silva headed wide in the dying seconds, and with that miss, Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup journey likely finishes with just a single semi-final to his name.