Mikel Merino nodded in a 119th minute winner as ten-men Spain beat Germany 2-1 to reach UEFA Euro 2024 semi-finals.
Merino nodded into the top-left corner from a curled cross by fellow substitute, Dani Olmo to seal an extra-time win for the Spaniards.
Olmo had came on as an eighth-minute substitute for Pedri and initially put Spain in front with a 51st minute side-footed shot from Lamine Yamal’s pass.
Germany forced extra time from Florian Wirtz’s 89th minute strike from a knockdown header by Joshua Kimmich at the right-post.
Spain’s Dani Carvajal was sent off in the 125th minute after he fouled Jamal Musiala and will now miss the semi-final.
Spain now face France in the opening semi-final on Tuesday 9 July in Munich, after the French beat Portugal 5-3 on penalties after a goalless draw.
Considered slight favourites due to their dominant displays so far in this tournament, Spain surprisingly found themselves matched early on by Germany and were dealt a seventh minute blow when Pedri suffered a suspected knee injury in a collision.
Nico Williams however looked to spark La Roja into life bur he rifled his 12th minute shot wide, whilst Fabian Ruiz curled over from Yamal’s square-ball pass five minutes later.
Germany though were aggressive in their intensity which earned them a 22nd minute corner from which Joshua Kimmich’s set-piece delivery was nodded on goal by Kai Havertz, yet Unai Simon was alert to make the save.
Aymeric Laporte one minute later took aim from long range as Spain looked to break the deadlock but Manuel Neuer saved his attempt.
Spain’s difficulties were dealt another knock in the 29th minute after defender, Robin Le Normand fouled Ilkay Gundogan, which meant that he would miss the semi-final.
Both teams proceeded to trade chances in the remainder of the first half but Yamal and Havertz saw shots denied, as neither team found the opening goal before half-time.
Following three changes in total across both teams at half-time, Spain began the second half on the front foot as a cross found Yamal in the 47th minute and the teenager teed up Alvaro Morata who rifled over on the turn.
That wasted chance soon became a footnote four minutes later after Yamal was unleashed the right, which allowed him to tee up an unmarked Olmo to side-foot into the left corner to put Spain in front on the tournament hosts’ home soil.
Germany however refused to face defeat and manager, Julian Nagelsmann made two substitutes which sparked further life, as half-time sub – Robert Andrich rifled over from Niclas Fullkrug’s lay-off pass in the 69th minute.
Fullkrug then hit the right post as he met a low cross only to be dragged to ground by Nacho as he connected with the ball.
Germany continued to press and almost equalised with eight minutes left in normal time, but Havertz chipped a loose ball over Simon and the bar in another frustration for the hosts, which only continued as he saw a header saved in the 86th minute.
Their resilience eventually paid off in the 89th minute as Maximilian Mittelstadt’s initial cross caused trouble in and around the box, and the ball eventually fell for Kimmich to nod down for Wirtz to smash in to restore parity and force extra time.
Once the additional 30 minutes commenced, Germany continued to dominate but Wirtz fired wide in the first minute of first-half injury-time in extra-time.
Muisala was fuming early in the second-half of extra-time after his 106th minute shot was accidentally handballed by Marc Cucurella’s left hand, with referee – Anthony Taylor controversially snubbing his penalty appeals.
Nacho spared Spain’s blushes with a 117th minute block of a cross targeted towards Fullkrug to try and poke in.
The Spaniard’s block ultimately proved key as two minutes later, Merino nodded into the top-left corner from Olmo’s cross to send Spain through to the semi-finals and break German hearts as the hosts crashed out at this stage of the Euros for the first time in their history.
Dani Carvajal however is ruled out of the semi-final for Spain alongside Le Normand, after he was sent off in the fifth minute of injury-time for a reckless foul on Musiala.
Teams
Spain – Unai Simon, Dani Carvajal, Robin Le Normand (Nacho 46′), Aymeric Laporte, Marco Cucurella, Pedri (Olmo 8′), Rodri, Fabian Ruiz (Joselu 102′), Lamine Yamal (Torres 63′), Alvaro Morata (Merino 80′), Nico Williams (Oyarzabal 80′)
Substitutes: David Raya, Nacho, Daniel Vivian, Mikel Merino, Joselu, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Alex Grimaldo, Alex Remiro, Alex Baena, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Oyarzabal, Jesus Navas, Fermin Lopez, Ayoze Perez
Germany – Manuel Neuer, David Raum (Mittelstadt 57′), Jonathan Tah (Muller 80′), Antonio Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich, Tomi Kroos, Emre Can (Andrich 46′), Jamal Musiala, Ilkay Gundogan (Fullkrug 57′), Leroy Sane (Wirtz 46′), Kai Havertz (Anton 90′)
Substitutes: Robert Andrich, Oliver Baumann, Maximilian Beier, Chis Fuhrich, Niclas Fullkrug, Pascal Gross, Benjamin Henrichs, Robin Koch, Maximilian Mittelstadt, Thomas Muller, Waldemar Anton, Leroy Sane, Nico Schlotterbeck, Deniz Undav, Florian Wirtz, Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Referee – Anthony Taylor
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