Spain Beat Portugal 1-0 to Reach 2026 World Cup Quarter-Finals
Spain secured a place in the quarter‑finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a narrow 1‑0 victory over Portugal in the round of 16 clash at Dallas Stadium in Arlington.
The match remained goalless until the first minute of added time, when Mikel Merino pounced on a pass from substitute Ferran Torres to fire the decisive goal.
Both sides created chances during regulation time. Spain threatened through Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena, while Portugal relied on Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Neto to break down the Spanish defence.
Ronaldo forced a save early, had another effort blocked after the break and saw an attack halted by an offside call. Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes also came close but could not beat the Spanish goalkeeper.
Spain continued to press in the closing minutes. Introduced in the 85th minute, Merino timed his run perfectly and converted Torres’ pass in the 90th minute to silence the Portuguese supporters.
Portugal threw men forward in the six minutes of stoppage time that stretched to ten. João Neves headed wide and Bernardo Silva missed the target as Spain held firm. Late tempers saw Bernardo Silva, Renato Veiga and Ferran Torres receive yellow cards before referee Anthony Taylor signalled full‑time.
The win sends Spain into the quarter‑finals where they will face either France or Morocco.
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