Spain defeats Portugal 1-0 in World Cup, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's tournament run
via The Namibian2 min read
Substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner, securing a 1-0 victory for Spain over Portugal and concluding Cristiano Ronaldo鈥檚 World Cup career. Spain will now face either the United States or Belgium in the quarter-finals in Los Angeles. The match, held in front of 70,649 fans, saw Merino score in the first minute of injury time after Ferran Torres set him up. This marked Ronaldo's final World Cup match, as the 41-year-old had confirmed it would be his last appearance on football's biggest stage. Both teams entered the game unbeaten, with Spain having not conceded a goal in the tournament. Despite early opportunities for Spain, including a missed shot by Mikel Oyarzabal, and a chance for Ronaldo, the game remained goalless until Merino's decisive strike. Portugal's Nuno Mendes was forced off due to injury in the second half. Spain's victory advances them to the next round of the competition.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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