Spain vs Croatia ends 2–1 as Merino seal’s quarterfinal place

Mikel Merino came off the bench and changed Spain’s night in Split. His two goals overturned Croatia’s lead and secured a place in the Nations League quarterfinals.

However, Spain needed more than late pressure to survive a demanding away match. The Spain vs Croatia result also owed plenty to Unai Simón’s goalkeeping.

Star Us on Google Search

Spain recover from a difficult opening in Split

Spain beat Croatia 2-1 at Poljud Stadium. Luis de la Fuente’s side completed four group matches with four victories.

However, the hosts created the greater danger during a difficult first half for Spain. Ivan Perišić opened the scoring, and Croatia carried that advantage into the interval. Spain had possession but struggled to turn their passing into clear openings. Meanwhile, Croatia’s defensive organisation forced the visitors to work for space around the penalty area.

De la Fuente responded by introducing Merino after the break in place of Álex Baena. The Arsenal midfielder supplied the finishing that Spain had previously lacked.

RFEF’s official match report confirms the comeback and Spain’s qualification with two group matches remaining. Nevertheless, the performance offered as many lessons about resilience as it did about attacking quality.

Perišić punishes Spain before Simón keeps the deficit manageable

Perišić struck in the 17th minute after Simón initially kept Croatia out. The experienced attacker reacted to the rebound and headed the hosts into the lead.

That sequence exposed the danger of allowing a second opportunity inside the area. However, the goalkeeper’s interventions prevented Croatia from turning their stronger opening into a larger advantage.

𝗦𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮 🇭🇷 Buen inicio de los locales que encuentran su recompensa en este 1-0 de Perišić. 📺 Sigue el partido EN DIRECTO en @La1_tve y @rtveplay https://t.co/cykway3SnD https://t.co/lLxCxuAJE3
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) October 6, 2026

Lamine Yamal offered Spain an outlet as they searched for a response. Meanwhile, Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal also threatened before halftime without finding the equaliser.

Merino changes the attack with well-timed movement

Merino’s introduction gave Spain another player capable of arriving decisively inside the box. Rather than relying entirely on wide attacks, the visitors gained a stronger central finishing presence.

In the 61st minute, Olmo found him in position to equalise. Merino finished left-footed beyond Dominik Livaković, bringing Spain level while Croatia still had eleven players.

¿Tienes algún problema? Llama a 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐎. 🇪🇸 El navarro 𝐯𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫 a España cuando más lo necesitaba. 📺 El partido de la #NationsRTVE EN DIRECTO en @La1_tve y @rtveplay https://t.co/cykway3SnD https://t.co/u2f4k3aPKw
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) October 6, 2026

That timing matters because the comeback had already started before the later dismissal. Therefore, the substitution deserves attention alongside Spain’s eventual advantage in numbers.

De la Fuente subsequently brought on Martín Zubimendi and Fermín López to refresh the midfield. Meanwhile, Croatia replaced Luka Modrić as both coaches adjusted to the demands of the second half.

🚀 SI, LO HA VUELTO A HACER.𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗭𝗢 en el 88 para poner España 𝘤𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘪𝘦 𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘰 en los cuartos de la #NationsLeague📺 El partido de la #NationsRTVE EN DIRECTO en @La1_tve y @rtveplay https://t.co/cykway3ky5 https://t.co/QgxngiL3u5
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) October 6, 2026

The Mikel Merino brace ultimately rewarded movement, control and finishing under pressure. His contribution also showed how a midfielder can alter the attacking shape without a complete tactical overhaul.

Spain vs Croatia strengthens the leaders’ position

Spain lead Group A3 with 12 points from a possible 12. England remained three points behind after beating Czechia 3-0 in the same round.

As a result, Spain have secured a top two finish and can approach November with qualification settled. First place, however, still gives their remaining group fixtures a clear competitive purpose.

Their campaign includes a 3-2 victory over England and a 4-1 home win against Croatia. In addition, Spain defeated Czechia 3-1 before travelling to Split.Those four results produced 12 goals scored and five conceded across the group campaign. The totals underline their attacking output while showing that opponents have found ways through.

Meanwhile, UEFA’s round-up lists Spain’s unbeaten run at 43 matches following this victory. That record provides context without disguising the difficulties Croatia caused on Tuesday.

Goalkeeping and the bench give Spain the decisive edge

The Unai Simón saves mattered because they kept Spain within reach of the match. However, protecting a narrow deficit only helps if teammates eventually supply an attacking response.

🫡 DON UNAI SIMÓN 𝙋-𝘼-𝙍-𝘼-𝘿-𝙊́-𝙉 de nuestro portero para seguir con el empate 📺 El partido de la #NationsRTVE EN DIRECTO en @La1_tve y @rtveplay https://t.co/cykway3SnD https://t.co/oXpZmZvkFQ
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) October 6, 2026

Merino provided that response, while Olmo and Zubimendi contributed to the decisive combinations. Together, those contributions explain the result more clearly than possession alone.

Perišić’s second booking then left Croatia short of a player for the closing stretch. RFEF recorded the dismissal in the 80th minute, after his earlier first-half caution.

🟥 ¡Se queda con uno menos Croacia! Expulsado 𝙄𝙫𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙨̌𝙞𝙘́ por doble amarilla. 📺 El partido de la #NationsRTVE EN DIRECTO en @La1_tve y @rtveplay https://t.co/cykway3ky5 https://t.co/4vXpjfZFXA
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) October 6, 2026

Spain subsequently pressed for a winner rather than accepting a draw. In the 88th minute, Zubimendi found Merino, who controlled, turned and finished left-footed.

Claro Sports’ match analysis describes the combination that finally broke Croatia’s resistance. Nevertheless, the finish still demanded composure with time running out and defenders nearby.

The bottom line for a solid experience here is knowing when to say when. The exact moment you breeze through the betstar77 register and hit the system with your betstar77 login, the entire catalog opens up to you. Don’t just blindly throw cash at the screen take a minute to map out a concrete budget that makes sense for your wallet.