World Cup 2026: Spain 1-0 Portugal

By Kede Aihie

Spain snatched a dramatic 1-0 win over Portugal with a 91st-minute winner from Mikel Merino in a tense, tactical opener that swung between flashes of brilliance and a lot of missed chances.

The first 20 minutes belonged to Spain on the counter. Lamine Yamal was electric, twisting past defenders and getting shots on target, but Portugal’s backline, marshaled tightly by the full-backs, managed to snuff him out each time. The big gamble for Portugal was clear: commit forward and leave space for Yamal to run into.

After that burst, the half leveled out. It was cagey, almost cat-and-mouse, with neither side willing to overcommit. Portugal came closest in the 39th minute when a corner caused panic in the Spanish box and nearly broke the deadlock. Cristiano Ronaldo also improvised brilliantly and thought he had scored, but Spain held firm.

Portugal’s game plan was physical. They worked hard to disrupt Spain and gave away a string of free-kicks, but La Roja couldn’t make them count. Spain created the clearer opportunities and were wasteful in front of goal — chances came and went without a finish.

Just when it looked headed for a stalemate, Spain struck late. In the 91st minute of injury time, Merino found the breakthrough to break Portuguese hearts and seal all three points for Spain.

A tight, low-margin game decided by one moment of clinical finishing deep into added time.