EURO 2024 round of 16 fixtures Result: Spain 2-1 Germany

Spain defeated the hosts Germany to advance to the EURO 2024 semi-finals thanks to a header from Mikel Merino in extra time.

The first quarterfinal of the competition got underway with a furious pace, with many hailing it as a matchup between the two strongest teams in the league. After Pedri’s low shot in the first minute hurt Manuel Neuer’s hands, he was replaced by Dani Olmo minutes later due to an injury.

As Spain attempted to take control, Lamine Yamal pulled a low free-kick beyond of Neuer’s left-hand post and Olmo sent a left-footed drive over the crossbar. However, Germany’s first clear-cut chance of the match came from Kai Havertz, who headed Joshua Kimmich’s looping cross straight at Unai Simón. Then, Neuer denied a close-range chance by the animated Nico Williams and also stopped Olmo’s feeble attempt to maintain parity prior to the half.

After the break, Álvaro Morata came close to scoring when he turned around and fired over the bar, but six minutes into the second half, Olmo scored a low first-time effort after receiving a feed from Yamal, ending the tie. Niclas Füllkrug, a striker, was brought in by Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann in response to the goal. Shortly after coming into play, Füllkrug headed a header over the crossbar.

In the closing minutes of normal time, Nagelsmann’s team showed no caution as Dani Carvajal superbly blocked Florian Wirtz. Then, Füllkrug slipped Wirtz’s low delivery against a post, and Havertz’s lob went just wide of Unai Simón’s goal, but Wirtz’s low strike off the far post finally proved to be too much for Germany to concede, forcing extra time.

The first additional time frame was well timed. Both sides had a chance to take the lead, with Mikel Oyarzabal’s fierce long-range attempt going wide and Wirtz just missing the mark on the other end. Füllkrug’s well-placed header was equaled by Unai Simón, but Merino’s strong header from Olmo’s center sealed the match, and La Roja managed to hold on despite Carvajal’s late red card.

Important Statistics

After Artem Dovbyk at EURO 2020 (120:36) and Michel Platini at EURO ’84 (118:53), Merino’s goal (118:52) was the third-latest winning goal in a EURO match.
After France in EURO ’84 and Italy in EURO 2020, Spain is the first country to win five straight finals matches at a single tournament. Spain has won all five of its matches at EURO 2024.
Germany has lost three of its past four games in the EURO knockout round (W1), matching the number of losses they had in their previous 12 finals (W7 D2 L3).
In EURO final competitions, Olmo has contributed to five goals as a substitute (two goals, three assists). In the history of the tournament, only Cesc Fàbregas (two goals, three assists) has been able to match that total.
With Fàbregas (2008), David Silva (2012), and Olmo (2021) having recorded three assists in the same EURO, Yamal is the fourth player from Spain to accomplish this feat.
Wirtz is Germany’s youngest goal scorer in a EURO knockout game, having turned 21 years old and 63 days old.
After Pepe (22) and Cristiano Ronaldo (29) only Neuer is the third player to surpass the historic 20 EURO appearance record.
In Germany’s past 26 EURO matches, there has only been one goalless result.
Die Mannschaft has only needed extra time in two of their last 10 EURO knockout games.
The 21st German player with 10 appearances in the EURO is Leroy Sané.