Spain's midfielder #06 Mikel Merino heads the ball to score his team's second goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final football match between Spain and Germany at the Stuttgart Arena in Stuttgart on July 5, 2024. (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP via Getty Images)

Spain beat Germany 2-1 thanks to a late goal deep into extra time by former Newcastle man Mikel Merino.

After Dani Olmo opened the scoring, Florian Wirtz found the equaliser just before injury time, sending both sides into extra time.

In the same fashion, Mikel Merino's late header, won the game for Spain just before injury time in extra time, sending the hosts crashing out of the tournament. 

  • Story of the Match

The first half proved to be a very cagey affair, with both sides committing fouls as well as giving away possession. After just 29 minutes there had been three yellow cards with both sides into the book. 

After just one minute midfielder Pedri saw his driven effort from the edge of the box saved by Manuel Neuer in the German goal. However, after just eight minutes, the Barcelona man was forced off with injury and replaced by Dani Olmo. Not the start to the game La Roja would have wanted. 

On the 20 minute mark, Arsenal striker Kai Havertz found space in the box, meeting Joshua Kimmich’s cross, but his header was comfortably saved by Unai Simon. The German has scored twice so far in the tournament, after an impressive season with the Gunners.

Havertz found space again after 35 minutes when he collected the ball from Antonio Rudiger, used his body well to turn past Robin Le Normand, and unleashed a strike towards the bottom left corner. However, his effort was saved comfortably again by the Spanish keeper. 

The final notable action of the half was Dani Olmo's effort from a central position which was well saved by Manuel Neuer, who got down to his right to push it away.

Half time saw changes for both managers with Le Normand replaced by Nacho Fernandez after picking up a first-half booking. Leroy Sane and Emre Can were also replaced by Robert Andrich and Florian Wirtz to change the game for the hosts.

However the German's double substitution didn’t change much at the start of the second half as just two minutes in, forward Alvaro Morata turned Jonathan Tah in the box, but lashed his effort over the bar. It was a very good chance for Spain, just 12 yards out and Morata was rightly frustrated.  

On the 51 minute mark, the opening goal of the game arrived and it was Spain who opened the scoring. La Roja found themselves ahead as 16-year-old Lamine Yamal cut a low pass into the box, which was met by substitute Dani Olmo, who fired into the bottom left corner. Nagelsmann's men were rightly angry, as Yamal was put under no pressure before picking out Olmo. 

The substitution of Niclas Fullkrug had a huge impact on the complexion of the game. His introduction caused problems for Spain after 69 minutes, as he laid it off for other substitute, Andrich. His effort was saved well to the right-hand side by Simon. On the 77th minute, Fulkrug then caused further problems for the Spanish defence as Wirtz played the ball into the box where Fulkrug latched onto the cross, smashing an effort off the post. So close for the Germans. 

With the game looking as though it had slipped away from Germany and just one minute left to play, Mittelstadt's cross was nodded down by Joshua Kimmich, his header was met on the volley brilliantly by substitute Florian Wirtz, who smashed the ball in off the post to equalise for the host nation in the final minutes. It was a fantastic finish by the Bundesliga Player of the Year to take the game to extra time. 

After 107 minutes played, a huge penalty shout for Germany arrived, when Jamal Musiala’s strike smashed off the arm of Marc Cucurella inside the box. However, nothing was given as it was deemed his arm was by his side and therefore in a natural position. 
With little to shout about in the rest of extra time it looked as though the game was going to be decided on penalties.

The ball came in on 117 minutes and it was that man again, Fulkrug whose glancing header was well saved by Simon. Fulkrug had been excellent since coming on. 

On 120 minutes it was all tied up and ready to go into penalties but just as Germany did in the final stages of normal time, Spain dug out a cross which was met by a huge jump from Mikel Merino who nodded in a fantastic header from 6 yards out.

Having come on in the 80th minute, it proved to be a fantastic decision from the manager. In the celebrations, Morata who was subbed off, entered the pitch and was therefore booked, meaning he misses the semi final.

In the dying moments of the game, Musiala skipped past Carvajal in the hope of an equaliser, however, the Real Madrid man pulled him down to stop the attack, so he was given a second yellow card meaning he also misses the semi final.