By Charles Maduka
Cristiano Ronaldo’s FIFA World Cup campaign came to a disappointing end on Monday night after a late goal from Mikel Merino gave Spain a 1-0 victory over Portugal in a tense Round of 16 encounter at Dallas Stadium.
The veteran forward, who was widely expected to be making his final appearance at the tournament, was unable to inspire Portugal to victory as they suffered a heartbreaking defeat in stoppage time.
Ronaldo led Portugal’s attack alongside João Félix and Bruno Fernandes, creating problems for the Spanish defence at different stages of the game and forcing goalkeeper Unai Simón into important saves during the first half.
Spain, however, remained organised at the back, with Rodri leading a disciplined defensive display that kept Portugal’s attacking threats under control for most of the contest.
The match stayed evenly balanced throughout, with both teams finding it difficult to create clear scoring opportunities.
Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced several important saves to keep his side in the game, including a superb double save to deny Spain’s young attackers, while Ronaldo continued searching for an opening that never came.
Portugal suffered another setback midway through the second half when Nuno Mendes was forced off with a hamstring injury, upsetting the team’s balance as Spain gradually took control in search of a breakthrough.
The decisive moment came in the first minute of stoppage time when Spain caught Portugal off guard with a quickly taken free-kick. Ferran Torres slipped a pass into the penalty area for Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino, who calmly beat Costa to score the only goal of the match.
The late winner sparked celebrations among the Spanish supporters, while the Portuguese fans were left stunned as Spain moved a step closer to winning another major international title.
Portugal bow out of the tournament after an impressive campaign that included a dramatic victory over Croatia in the Round of 32, while Spain continue their impressive defensive run and march into the quarter-finals with growing confidence.
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