Spain secured a 2-1 victory against Croatia on Tuesday in Split, courtesy of a decisive second-half double from Mikel Merino.
The midfielder struck twice after the interval to overturn the match dynamics, ensuring Spain collected another win on their travels.
The result extends Spain's remarkable unbeaten run to 43 matches, successfully preserving a two-and-a-half-year undefeated streak across international competition.
Croatia fought to protect their home turf in Split, but were ultimately undone by Merino's clinical finishing during the second period.
Verification details indicate that further sources are still required to fully corroborate all minor aspects of the fixture, though the core outcome of the match stands.
No official post-match quotes or detailed match statistics beyond the final scoreline and goalscorer have been formally documented at this stage.
SokaLive analysis
The numbers point to a continuation of absolute dominance by Spain, whose historic unbeaten run now stretches to an imposing 43 matches over a two-and-a-half-year period. This sequence underlines a remarkable resilience and tactical consistency that few international sides can match in the modern game.
Recent results in the database, including previous victories over Croatia and Czechia alongside this 2-1 triumph in Split, highlight how effectively Spain navigate difficult fixtures against familiar opponents. For Croatia, falling to consecutive defeats against Spain — following earlier heavy scorelines — signals a recurring tactical mismatch that Zlatko Dalic's side must address.
Mikel Merino stepping up with a second-half double demonstrates the depth of goalscoring sources within the Spanish ranks, reducing reliance on a single focal point. As Spain preserve their lengthy undefeated streak, opponents will increasingly view them as the ultimate benchmark in international football.
