Spain beats Croatia 2-1 in Split to extend unbeaten run and reach Nations League quarter-finals

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In brief

How it came to this

77th minuteUnai Simon saves a close-range shot from Perisic
79th minutePerisic is sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Marc Cucurella
88th minuteMerino scores his second goal to put Spain ahead 2-1

Match progression in Split

Spain secured a 2-1 comeback victory over Croatia at the Poljud Stadium in Split on Tuesday, booking a spot in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals. The hosts took the lead in the 17th minute when Ivan Perisic scored with a header after Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon failed to hold a shot from Igor Matanovic. Croatia had earlier threatened through Josip Stanisic in the 13th minute, and Matanovic missed an opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 23rd minute following an errant pass by Simon. Spain responded late in the first half when Lamine Yamal hit the side netting from a Pedri pass.

Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente introduced Mikel Merino at half-time. Merino equalized in the 61st minute off a Dani Olmo assist following a failed defensive header by Stanisic. Simon preserved the tie in the 77th minute by denying Perisic from close range. Two minutes later, Perisic received a second yellow card for a foul on Marc Cucurella, leaving Croatia with ten players. Merino then scored his second goal in the 88th minute to secure the three points.

Red card dispute and reactions

The dismissal of Perisic provoked frustration among the Croatian squad and home supporters. After the referee dropped his red card on the pitch, Cucurella picked it up and handed it back to the official to issue the sending-off. The Spanish defender was subjected to whistling from the crowd for the remainder of the fixture.

Cucurella addressed the crowd reaction after the final whistle.

“I won't be able to leave Spain if I keep this up. It's a joke, these things happen. I understand they also have to push, they were playing at home with a full stadium. Things stay on the pitch, I've never had any problem. They are hazards of the job.”

Marc Cucurella, spanish national team defender involved in the dismissal incident with Perisic

Croatian manager Slaven Bilic criticized Cucurella's conduct while acknowledging his defensive commitment.

“Who isn't angry with Cucurella if he's not on your team? He is a great player, I admire him for what he does on the pitch and for his son's story. He defends his team with everything, but of course he provokes.”

Slaven Bilic, croatian national team head coach

Croatian captain Luka Modric argued that the sending-off dictated the final outcome, stating that Croatia would not have lost with eleven men on the pitch.

Unbeaten streak and quarter-final qualification

The victory extended Spain's competitive unbeaten run to between 42 and 43 matches, depending on how specific records classify penalty shootout outcomes. The streak began on 15 June 2023 in Enschede with a 2-1 victory over Italy, leading to consecutive titles at Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup. Spain has registered 36 wins and 7 draws across this span, surpassing Italy's previous record of 37 matches set between 2018 and 2021.

Spain has won all four of its Nations League fixtures in this international window, confirming qualification for the quarter-finals scheduled for March 2027. England and Portugal have also secured quarter-final berths. The result followed Croatia's 0-7 defeat against England three days prior, which stood as the heaviest loss in Croatian national team history.

Spanish television audience metrics

The broadcast on Spanish public television network La 1 drew 5,313,000 viewers, achieving a 39.3% audience share during the access prime-time slot. Peak coverage saw over 10.2 million viewers tune in for at least one minute of the match. The broadcast provided a substantial lead-in for subsequent programming, boosting La Revuelta to 1,818,000 viewers and a 15.8% share, its highest recorded audience of the calendar year. Competitor El Hormiguero on Antena 3 registered 1,461,000 viewers and an 11.1% share.

Spanish television prime-time audiences on Tuesdaymillion viewers

Data from the article text