Merino Last-Gasp Goal Sends Spain to Euro 2024 Semis after Dramatic Extra-Time Win over Germany

 Spain's Mikel Merino (6) scores his side's second goal during a quarter final match between Germany and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP)
Spain's Mikel Merino (6) scores his side's second goal during a quarter final match between Germany and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP)
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Merino Last-Gasp Goal Sends Spain to Euro 2024 Semis after Dramatic Extra-Time Win over Germany

 Spain's Mikel Merino (6) scores his side's second goal during a quarter final match between Germany and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP)
Spain's Mikel Merino (6) scores his side's second goal during a quarter final match between Germany and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP)

Spain and its fans celebrated as if they’d won the European Championship. After eliminating tournament host Germany in a thrilling quarterfinal, Spain has a great chance to lift the trophy in Berlin next week.

Spain snatched a 2-1 win in extra time on Friday thanks to substitute Mikel Merino's header in the 119th minute.

Extra time only came after Florian Wirtz’s equalizer in the last minute of regulation.

Dani Olmo, who set up Merino’s winner, netted the opener early in the second half.

"It was the game we expected," Merino said, "because we were facing one of the best teams in the world. This could have been a final, and it sure played out that way. This was a game between elite teams, a constant back and forth, and we showed that we have a great team."

Spain defender Dani Carvajal was sent off late in extra time for a second yellow card and will be suspended from Tuesday’s semifinal against Portugal or France. Fellow defender Robin le Normand will also miss that match after picking up another booking.

Germany players walked over to their fans morosely as coach Julian Nagelsmann looked on with his hands on hips and his face etched with disappointment.

"We were so close, that’s what makes it so bitter," Germany midfielder Toni Kroos said after the final match of his distinguished career. The 2014 World Cup winner earlier announced he was retiring when Germany's campaign ended.

"To be honest, right now the main feeling is that the tournament is over, because we all had a big goal that we wanted to achieve together," he said. "And this dream we all had has been simply shattered now."

The quarterfinal pitted the Euros' only three-time champions, the teams who have played the best soccer at Euro 2024, and it didn't disappoint.

There was a blistering pace from the start with crunching tackles and end-to-end action.

Kroos was lucky not to be booked for a mistimed challenge that upended Spain midfielder Pedri. Pedri suffered another hefty challenge moments later and left the field injured and in tears. He was replaced by Olmo in the eighth minute, the fastest replacement in Euros history.

From the resulting free kick, Lamine Yamal almost became the youngest ever goal-scorer at the tournament but the 16-year-old’s effort flashed past the right post.

Yamal did have a hand in the opener as he cut inside from the right and rolled the ball across for Olmo to hit it first time into the bottom left corner.

It was Yamal’s third assist of the tournament, the most by a teenager at a Euros.

Substitute Nico Füllkrug hit the post in a late desperate onslaught by Germany, which was rewarded just in the nick of time.

Joshua Kimmich nodded Maximilian Mittelstädt’s cross back to Wirtz, whose effort went in off the far post.

The teams had more chances to win in extra time before Merino leapt high to head in Olmo's cross and send the Spanish fans behind the goal into a frenzy.

"I am exhausted but so proud to see how we fought until the very end," Olmo said. "We hope that Pedri only has a knock because he is so important for the team. This is for him and for the entire team."



Monterrey Hold Inter Milan 1-1 at Club World Cup 

Monterrey's Sergio Ramos, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Club World Cup group E soccer match between CF Monterrey and Inter Milan in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP) 
Monterrey's Sergio Ramos, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Club World Cup group E soccer match between CF Monterrey and Inter Milan in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP) 
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Monterrey Hold Inter Milan 1-1 at Club World Cup 

Monterrey's Sergio Ramos, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Club World Cup group E soccer match between CF Monterrey and Inter Milan in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP) 
Monterrey's Sergio Ramos, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Club World Cup group E soccer match between CF Monterrey and Inter Milan in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP) 

UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan were held 1-1 by Mexican side Monterrey in their opening Group E game at the Club World Cup in Pasadena on Tuesday.

Inter dominated possession at the outset but underdogs Monterrey struck first, grabbing the lead when 39-year-old defender Sergio Ramos leaped above two defenders to power home a header from a corner in the 25th minute.

The Italians drew level three minutes before halftime when Kristjan Asllani's floated free-kick into the box was played across the face of goal by Carlos Augusto to give Lautaro Martinez the easy tap-in.

Nelson Deossa had a golden opportunity to win it for Monterrey in stoppage time, but his shot ended up in the side netting on a hot day at the Rose Bowl, where plenty of empty seats were visible.

"I think we could have scored a second goal, which we didn't unfortunately," said Inter's Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

"But this is football, we have to work hard, we have to do our best to win the next games because it's a new competition and the teams are very motivated to get out of the group stage.

"I think we have to be more aggressive in front of goal, we need to score more goals. Even today we had chances which we didn't score, unfortunately."

Tuesday's match, the first competitive meeting between the sides, saw both teams debuting new managers.

Cristian Chivu took over from Simone Inzaghi at Inter Milan shortly after their crushing 5-0 Champions League final defeat by Paris St Germain, while Spaniard Domenec Torrent was brought in at Monterrey after their disappointing start to the season.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday.

Monterrey return to the Rose Bowl to face River Plate, who beat Urawa Reds 3-1 earlier in the day, while Inter take on the Japanese side in Seattle.