Mikel Merino scored seconds into second-half stoppage time to lead Spain to a 1-0 victory over Portugal on Monday. The win ended the World Cup career of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
The match took place in Arlington, Texas, during the World Cup round of 16.
The winning play occurred after Merino was knocked down and a foul was called. While a Portugal player argued the call, Merino played the ball back in and ran toward the goal. After receiving a pass from Ferran Torres, Merino put a shot past goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
With this win, Spain advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since their 2010 World Cup title victory in South Africa. Spain is scheduled to play either Belgium or the United States on Friday in Los Angeles.
For Portugal, the loss ended the tournament for Cristiano Ronaldo, who was attempting to lead the team to a second consecutive quarterfinal appearance. The defeat marks the end of the career for the all-time leader in international goals on the world's biggest soccer stage.
