LONDON: Alvaro Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal scored in extra time as Spain held off a remarkable Croatian fightback to win 5-3 in a pulsating Euro 2020 last 16 match in Copenhagen for a place in the quarter-finals.
Spain gifted Croatia a bizarre own-goal in the first half and then threw away a 3-1 lead but the much-maligned Morata made it 4-3 when he controlled a cross with one deft touch in the 100th minute and sent a shot past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic at the Parken Stadium.
Oyarzabal doubled the lead three minutes later to make it the highest-scoring European Championship match since the first game of the inaugural edition in 1960.
Spain looked firmly in control when Unai Simon failed to control Pedri’s backpass from near midfield in the 20th minute and watched helplessly as the ball bounced over his foot and into the net to put Croatia ahead.
The Spaniards drew level in the 38th minute following sustained pressure that was rewarded when Livakovic swatted Jose Gaya’s shot to the feet of Pablo Sarabia who fired home.
The three-times European champions continued to create chances and Cesar Azpilicueta notched a well-timed header after connecting with a cross from Ferran Torres in the 57th minute.
Torres got Spain’s third in the 77th minute.
In a remarkable comeback, Mislav Orsic clawed a goal back for the World Cup semi-finalists in the 85th minute after a goalmouth scramble before Mario Pasilic headed Croatia’s equaliser in stoppage time.
Spain will head to Saint Petersburg for a quarter-final against France or Switzerland on Friday despite the city posting a new pandemic high for daily virus deaths.
