Spain refuse to be stopped! Mikel Merino double completes comeback win over Croatia and seals quarter-final spot

Spain arrived at the Stadion Poljud knowing that a single point would be enough to guarantee their progression to the knockout stages, but they were met by a Croatia side determined to restore pride following a heavy defeat to England. La Roja, usually so composed in possession, found themselves hurried into mistakes as the home side dominated the early physical battles, looking to exploit any sign of complacency in the Spanish ranks.

The hosts did not have to wait long for their aggressive start to pay dividends, taking the lead after just 17 minutes. After Unai Simon had made a sharp reflex save to deny a close-range header from Josip Stanisic, the Spanish goalkeeper was called into action again to parry a powerful drive from Igor Matanovic. However, the rebound fell perfectly for Ivan Perisic, who reacted quickest to head the ball into the net and spark wild celebrations in the stands.

Spain struggled to find their rhythm for much of the first half, as Croatia’s midfield trio of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Kristijan Jakic successfully congested the central areas. Even the creative vision of Pedri was limited by the lack of space, forcing the visitors to rely heavily on the individual brilliance of Lamine Yamal and his overlapping runs with Pubill on the right flank. Despite a late first-half flurry where Yamal hit the side netting after a sublime pass from Pedri, Spain went into the interval trailing, needing a significant tactical shift to turn the tide in their favour.

Luis de la Fuente acted decisively at the break, introducing Merino in place of Alex Baena to add greater physical presence and verticality to Spain’s midfield. The substitution proved to be a masterstroke, as Spain began to dictate the tempo and push Croatia deeper into their own half.

The equalizer had been coming, and eventually it arrived. Josip Stanišić cleared the ball, but Dani Olmo collected it on the edge of the box. Unable to get a shot away himself, the Barcelona midfielder laid the ball off to Merino, who made no mistake, calmly firing into the back of the net with the composure of a seasoned centre-forward.

The equaliser completely shifted the momentum of the contest, with Croatia visibly tiring after their immense physical exertion in the first hour. As Spain ramped up the pressure, the game became increasingly fractious, and the hosts' frustrations boiled over in the 79th minute. Ivan Perisic, who had already been cautioned in the first half for a heavy challenge on Pubill, was shown a second yellow card after tripping Marc Cucurella.

With a man advantage, Spain dominated the closing stages, constantly recycling possession and looking for the decisive blow. Unai Simon remained alert at the other end, producing a vital save to deny Perisic just before his red card and later coming off his line to intercept a dangerous ball intended for Gvardiol.

The stage was set for another late intervention from Merino, who has developed a reputation for delivering in high-stakes moments. As the clock ticked towards the 90th minute, he produced a moment of genuine quality, controlling the ball perfectly inside the box before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike into the top corner to complete the comeback.

The result ensures that Spain remain at the top of Group A3 with a perfect record of four wins from four matches, rendering their remaining fixtures in November as opportunities for De la Fuente to further refine his squad ahead of the knockout rounds next year.

This latest triumph further cements Spain's status as the most formidable force in international football, showing they can win through sheer grit just as easily as they do through tactical superiority. For Croatia, it was a bitter end to a night that began with so much promise, particularly for Luka Modric in what was one of his final appearances on the international stage.