Spain Secures Quarter-Final Berth as Merino Sinks 10-Man Croatia in Split

Spain is heading to the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals after a grueling 2-1 comeback victory over a desperate Croatian side on Tuesday night. The result at Stadion Poljud guarantees Luis de la Fuente’s squad a top-two finish in Group A3 with two matches to spare.[1][2]

The victory also extends the reigning world champions' unbeaten streak in regulation time to a staggering 42 matches. It was a test of endurance in Split, where a hostile crowd and a wounded opponent pushed the Spanish side to their absolute limit.[3][4]

Croatia entered the match desperate to salvage their pride following a historic 7-0 humiliation by England just three days earlier. The hosts channeled that embarrassment into a ferocious first-half defensive display, stifling Spain's rhythm and striking first against the run of play.[1][5]

Ivan Perišić ignited the home crowd in the 17th minute, rising above the Spanish defense to bury a well-placed header into the bottom-left corner. The goal rewarded Croatia's early aggression and left Spain trailing at the break for the first time in the tournament.[2][3]

"It was a very tough game in a very difficult stadium with an unbelievable atmosphere," Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino told reporters. "We knew that coming here was going to be tough, and obviously with them scoring the first goal, it was hard."[1]

De la Fuente turned to his bench to break the deadlock, bringing on Merino to replace Álex Baena early in the second half. The substitution paid immediate dividends in the 61st minute when Merino found space in the box to drive a left-footed equalizer past Dominik Livaković.[1][2]

The momentum shifted entirely in the 78th minute when Perišić, Croatia's early hero, received a second yellow card for a late challenge. Reduced to ten men, the exhausted hosts dropped deep into their own half to defend the solitary point.[1][2]

Spain's relentless pressure finally cracked the Croatian resistance in the 88th minute. Martín Zubimendi slipped a precise pass into the penalty area, allowing Merino to sweep his second goal of the night into the bottom corner and seal the 2-1 victory.[2][3]

"They’re fantastic footballers and they never stop fighting," De la Fuente told Teledeporte after the final whistle. "In an atmosphere like the one you’ve just seen, we managed to rise above it. It’s a win of enormous merit."[1]

For Croatia, the late collapse leaves them stranded on three points and facing a steep climb to avoid relegation from League A. Despite the heartbreak, the performance offered a marked improvement over their weekend collapse in London.[1][5]

"It really is a shame for all of us," Croatian midfielder Kristijan Jakić said. "It was a tough match, especially when you concede to make it 2-1 in the 90th minute. But I’m glad the team reacted well after the last match and that we didn’t disappoint our fans."[1]

Spain will now look ahead to a mid-November trip to Prague to face the Czech Republic, before closing out their group stage campaign against England in Madrid. With their quarter-final ticket already punched, De la Fuente has the luxury of rotating his exhausted squad.[1]