Spain secured a 2-1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on October 6, 2026, maintaining their perfect record in the group stage. Mikel Merino scored both goals for Spain, with the first coming in the 61st minute after he was substituted in at halftime. Croatia initially took the lead with a goal from Ivan Perisic, who was later sent off for a second yellow card with 10 minutes remaining. Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simon made several key saves during the match, including a header from Josip Stanisic. The win allowed Spain to qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals with two matches remaining, extending their unbeaten streak to 42 games and placing them three points ahead of England in Group A3. Croatia, under coach Slaven Bilic, faced challenges after a heavy defeat to England in their previous match, where home fans were banned due to incidents of racism. Merino's performance was notable, as he has frequently made significant contributions from the bench for Spain's coach Luis De la Fuente.
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Spain defeats Croatia 2-1 in UEFA Nations League match
Spain won 2-1 against Croatia in the UEFA Nations League, with Mikel Merino scoring both goals. The victory secured Spain's qualification for the quarter-finals and extended their unbeaten streak to 42 games. Croatia's Ivan Perisic scored first but was sent off later in the match.
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Mikel Merino
Ivan Perisic
Unai Simon
Luka Modric
Dani Olmo
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Merino scores twice as Spain beat Croatia 2-1 in Nations League
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Spain defeats Croatia 2-1 in UEFA Nations League match