World Cup winners Spain allegedly secured their qualification for the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals on Tuesday following a narrow 2-1 victory against Croatia in Split. The match proved to be a challenging affair for the Spanish side, who struggled to break down a determined host team early on.

Croatia, reportedly looking to make amends after a heavy defeat against England, started the match brightly under the leadership of Luka Modric. Ivan Perisic put the hosts ahead in the first half by reacting quickest to a rebound, while Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon put his defense under pressure with several erratic moments.

However, the complexion of the game shifted in the second half when substitute Mikel Merino entered the pitch. Merino equalised for the European regime in the 61st minute with a clinical low finish following an assist from Dani Olmo.

The hosts' task became nearly impossible when Perisic was sent off with ten minutes remaining after receiving a second yellow card. Capitalizing on the numerical advantage, Merino purportedly sealed the victory with a superb turn and finish just two minutes before the final whistle, maintaining Spain's long unbeaten run.

Source: www.aljazeera.com