Spain vs Germany. European Championships Quarter-Final.
MHP ArenaAttendance54,000.
Report from Euro 2024 as Mikel Merino crushed Germany hearts deep into extra-time; Spain had to win the game twice after Florian Wirtz cancelled out Dani Olmo's opener; Spain progress to face France in the semi-finals on Tuesday
Friday 5 July 2024 22:44, UK
Spain became the first nation to dump the hosts out of a European Championship at the quarter-final stage after Mikel Merino's 119th-minute header snatched an epic 2-1 win over Germany in Stuttgart.
With 65 seconds of extra time remaining, Merino - who made 25 appearances for Newcastle in the 2017/18 season - rose to meet Dani Olmo's cross to send Spain into a semi-final against France on Tuesday night in Munich.
Substitute Olmo's strike lit the blue touch paper moments into the second half after not initially being selected from the start - replacing the injured Pedri after just eight minutes.
Julian Nagelsmann turned to Niclas Fullkrug, who immediately caused the Spanish defence problems and struck the near post when he outmuscled Nacho to meet Florian Wirtz's cross.
There would be late drama as Germany refused to let the opportunity of a home Euros slip them by with Wirtz converting Joshua Kimmich's header back across goal following Maximilian Mittelstadt's deep cross (89).
Spain feared the prospect of a shoot-out against a nation who haven't lost one since 1976 - but Merino's dramatic winner ensured there would be no further heartache from 12 yards having gone out of the last three major Championships in such fashion.
Dani Carvajal was shown a second yellow card in the final seconds of the match but La Roja held on. Merino said: "It was me who scored the goal but this was just proof of the family we are. It was the whole team which was responsible for it - the effort we put in on the training field, the gym. The moments nobody but us can see."
Germany only got going after Olmo's intervention. Their coach Nagelsmann threw everything he could at resuscitating his below-par charges, but Spain appeared far too savvy in the eye of the Stuttgart second-half storm.
They had never won against the host team in a knockout match in the Euros or the World Cup. At the 10th attempt, that changed.
The Spaniards have been in imperious form at this tournament in recording five straight wins with electric duo Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal a constant menace for opposing defences down the channels. Replicating the achievements of 2008 and 2012 is coming into sharp focus.
After a feisty first half which saw Kai Havertz come closest to breaking the deadlock with half chances - one header straight at Unai Simon and another that lacked power on his right foot - Spain seized their moment.
On the eve of this contest, Pedri said he had hoped this would prove Toni Kroos' last game as a professional, but the Barcelona midfielder was forced off following a firm challenge from his Real Madrid counterpart inside five minutes. The Spanish federation later confirmed that the player had suffered an internal lateral sprain to his left knee.
The game lost a supreme talent but gained another in Olmo, whose intelligence shone throughout. While playing here for RB Leipzig last season, he was part of a 5-2 hammering against Stuttgart.
But it was the clever timing of his run onto Lamine Yamal's low ball which appeared to have settled this tetchy contest six minutes after the restart.
Germany were only then in a hurry as Wirtz and Fullkrug were summoned off the bench. Havertz failed to capitalise on a poor clearance by Simon as his attempt from distance landed on the roof of the net. It was one of 11 efforts in normal time after Olmo's opener.
Spain retreated, they wasted time. They thought they had won. But Wirtz had other ideas as he kept his composure to steer Kimmich's header back across goal into the far corner via the post.
Nearly an entire additional 30 minutes passed of shots being traded without a knockout blow - until Merino crushed the dreams of the majority inside the MHP Arena with his well-placed header from Olmo's cross.
There was still time for Carvajal to receive a second bookable offence for cynically hauling down Jamal Musiala, already in the knowledge he was suspended in the event of a semi-final.
That could so easily have been snatched away moments earlier when Fullkrug met Thomas Muller's cross at the near post but headed wide. After 40 shots, 16 yellow cards and a late red, the night belonged to Spain.
A late equaliser from Germany in normal time, a late winner from Spain in extra-time. This one took a while to get going but when it did, my word it was pulsating.
This really was a case of two European heavyweights slugging it out with 39 fouls in this match, the most in a single Euros fixture since Croatia faced Portugal in 2016.
Spain were on their knees when Wirtz struck, but their pedigree saw them over the line. It is now six times they have reached the semi-finals at the European Championship, with only Germany (8) participating in more in the tournament's history.
Merino failed to set pulses racing during his time at Newcastle, scoring once in 25 appearances before being shipped out to Real Sociedad after just one season.
Merino's father Angel scored for Osasuna in a second round UEFA Cup tie in November 1991 at Stuttgart. Mikel mimicked his celebration from that night as he danced around the corner flag in the same stadium, 33 years on for his country.
That is the beauty of international football. His leap reminded me of Tim Cahill, legs spread like a frog as he ghosted behind Antonio Rudiger to place his header into the corner.
This was the third-latest winning goal in a UEFA European Championship match (118:52), after Michel Platini for France vs Portugal at Euro 1984 (118:53) and Artem Dovbyk for Ukraine vs Sweden at Euro 2020 (120:36).
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente: "My players are insatiable. I'm proud to coach players like this. I've known many of them for many years.
"They're used to competing at the highest level and they have an opportunity to win [the tournament]. This team are always going to compete. There's always room for improvement, of course, but we can't question their pride, quality and commitment.
"This is a historic night. I'm proud to be able to represent our country. How far we get, we will see, but we're absolutely convinced that we can get very far with this team."
"Our euphoria is totally under control. We're so happy, but we know that tomorrow is already another day. We can't control what happens on the outside, but we're thrilled that the country is supporting us."
On Germany's aggressive approach, he added: "This is football. I come from the 1980s, and you want to see how they played then, this doesn't shock me.
"I said to one, 'what do you want, they blow kisses?' These matches go to the limit. When you cross the white line, no compromise."
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann: "The game was too open in the first half. We were better in the second half and from the 60th minute onwards, we were clearly the better team. Our late [equaliser] was well-deserved. We conceded the winner with the last chance. Unfortunately we weren't able to apply enough pressure on the wing.
"I told [the players] that they don't deserve [to exit the competition]. We're all missing our families, but none of us wanted to leave. From the beginning of these last six weeks there's been a very good atmosphere in the group. You could tell we gave everything to win this game."
"Every player, whether they started or were on the bench, gave everything they had to win the game. It's a painful one."
On the retiring Toni Kroos, Nagelsmann added: "It's impossible to over-appreciate Toni's career. It's probably unique for a German player. He's certainly one of Germany's biggest players. Everyone knows about his success but not everyone knows about his character. He spoke to the team in a very difficult moment for him personally. He always sees himself as part of this group."
Sky Sports' Roy Keane on ITV:
"We watch all levels of football, and the percentage of goals that come from crosses. If you just keep putting it in the right area...
"It was like two heavyweight boxers swinging for each other. Players off the bench will impact these Euros. Those impacts will be huge.
"There's fatigue, they're tired physically and mentally. Rudiger will feel he could have done better for the winning goal. But let's give credit to Merino.
"It wasn't cagey. Some teams would sit at half-time of extra-time but both teams went for it. Love it. The winning goal was about getting the ball wide and bodies in the box. Just like the old days!"
