Spain kept its World Cup title push alive with a 1-0 win over Portugal in the round of 16, sending Cristiano Ronaldo out of the tournament and booking a quarterfinal against Belgium. The winner came late, with Mikel Merino scoring a stoppage-time goal in a match that remained tight until the final minutes.
The result added another high-profile exit to a knockout stage that has already produced several headline results, but this one stood out because it ended Portugal's run in a marquee Iberian showdown. According to live coverage, Spain controlled possession and created more chances, while Portugal still threatened through Ronaldo before Merino settled the match.
Spain's victory also extended one of the tournament's most striking defensive trends: the team recorded its sixth consecutive clean sheet of the World Cup on the night it advanced. The quarterfinal matchup with Belgium is now set after Belgium's own round-of-16 win earlier in the day.