Spain beat Germany 2-1 in Stuttgart on Friday, as the hosts were knocked out of EURO 2024 in heartbreaking fashion at the quarterfinal stage.
[ MORE: EURO 2024 schedule, bracket ]
Substitute Dani Olmo gave Spain the lead with a fine goal at the start of the second half but Germany battled back and Florian Wirtz equalized in the 89th minute to take the game to extra time.
Just when it looked like the game would go to penalty kicks, Mikel Merino popped up with a fine header to win it for Spain. Germany still had a chance to equalize in the 123rd minute but Niclas Fullkrug headed wide and despite having Dani Carvajal sent off, Spain held on to reach back-to-back semifinals.
Olmo dazzles but suspension-hit Spain get over the line
Dani Olmo came off the bench and scored a beauty, was a constant threat and whipped in a perfect cross for the winner. Talk about having an impact. Olmo could easily be starting for this Spain side but he came on for the injured Pedri just eight minutes in and showed why he’s worthy of being a leading player. His poise, pace and creativity slots in perfectly with this Spanish forward line. Luis de la Fuente will be delighted Spain are through but not all of his subs worked as well as Olmo (Merino was great and of course got the winner) as taking off the excellent Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams handed the momentum to Germany. He will now have some serious reshuffling to do for the semifinal as Pedri may struggle to recover from injury in time, while Carvajal and Robin Le Normand are suspended. That means Nacho, Jesus Navas and Olmo will likely start and although Spain’s squad is deep, that is an awful lot of changes for a fairly settled side. Still, Spain just had that extra bit of quality when it mattered against Germany and the way they rallied in extra time after conceding so late in normal time showed incredible character. Against France or Portugal they will look to have more control than they did against Germany but if you talk about digging deep, making fouls and doing whatever you have to do to win a game, Spain did that and then some against the hosts. This was a gusty display with a sprinkling of class in the key moments.
Spain vs Germany player ratings
Via our friends at FotMob.com you can see two subs had a huge impact on the game as Olmo scored one and set up another. Wirtz scored and was excellent for Germany. Neither team could really get control of the game in midfield, while Lamal was superb for Spain and the game swung in Germany’s favor when he and Williams went off.
What next?
Spain head to the semifinal and will face the France in Munich on Tuesday, July 9 at 3pm ET.
How to watch Spain vs Germany, stream link and start time
Kick off: 12pm ET, Friday (July 5)
Stadium: Stuttgart Arena
How to watch on TV, stream in USA: Fox Sports
Spain vs Germany final score: 2-1
Olmo 51', Merino 119'; Wirtz 89'
Spain vs Germany live updates! - By Joe Prince-Wright
Red card for Carvajal
Second yellow for Carvajal who hauls down Musiala. One last chance for Germany...
Fullkrug heads wide from eight yards out
Germany almost equalize in the 123rd minute. A cross from the right finds Fullkrug and with the ball slightly behind him he heads wide.
Merino heads home! Chaos! - Spain 2-1 Germany (119th minute)
Lovely switch of play from Carvajal finds Cucurella who plays it to Simon and his perfect cross is headed home brilliantly by Merino. Spain stun Germany with just one minute left in extra time.
Merino heads home in the 119th minute to win it for Spain against Germany. Brilliant goal.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) July 5, 2024
Switch of play from Carvajal was sublime and Olmo's perfect cross is headed home brilliantly by Merino.
The #EURO2024 hosts are out and Spain head to the semis.pic.twitter.com/xHnL6XkScB
Fullkrug’s diving header is saved by Simon
Fullkrug gets across Nacho and somehow flicks a diving header towards goal. Simon does really well to save down low to his right.
Spain have wrestled back control
Germany have faded a little and it’s now Spain who are seeing plenty of the ball. Just over five minutes to go until penalty kicks...
Handball shout on Cucurella
Musiala’s shot hits Cucurella on the arm. VAR has a look but no penalty kick. Cucurella’s arms were down by his side. The ball hit it but there was no movement towards the ball.
Half time in extra time: Spain 1-1 Germany
Not much going on in Stuttgart aside from that chance for Wirtz. Both teams look a little scared to go for it.
Wirtz so close to making it 2-1 to Germany
Muller gets on the ball and does really well to play in Wirtz he curls his shot away from Simon but it just rolls inches wide.
Fabian Ruiz is off and Joselu is on; Caravajal will miss potential semifinal
Not much to report in extra time so far. Two tense, nervous teams out there. Given the stakes, you can understand it. Carvajal has been booked for handball so he’s out of the semifinal, if Spain get there.
Full time: Spain 1-1 Germany... and we are going to extra time!
Germany totally deserved that late equalizer and we are heading to extra time. The hosts have all of the momentum and Spain look all over the place.
Wirtz volleys home to equalize! - Germany 1-1 Spain (89th minute)
Florian Wirtz has done it! 89th minute and it’s 1-1. Kimmich heads a cross down and Wirtz smashes it off the post. Germany’s fans go wild. Spain couldn’t hold on.
21-year-old Florian Wirtz with a fine finish to equalize for Germany against Spain in the 89th minute. Brilliant header from Kimmich to set up Wirtz. Spain have been under severe pressure in the last 15 minutes and it has told. #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/0B0UqnaWJm
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) July 5, 2024
Germany having a real go late on
They are pouring forward and Carvajal just headed out for a corner at the back post. Spain are camped in their own half.
Havertz should make it 1-1
Poor goal kick from Unai Simon and it goes straight to Havertz. Simon comes off his line, then retreats. Havertz chips the ball over Simon but just over the bar. Tough chance but Havertz has to hit the target.
So much sauce from Fabian Ruiz
What an audacious piece of skill. Ruiz with a dummy and a turn which sent three Germany players heading the other way. Wow. The attack leads to an effort on goal which is blocked but that was sublime from Ruiz.
Post! Germany so close to an equalizer
The closest Germany have come to scoring as Fullkrug is on the floor but somehow gets his foot to the ball and his effort hits the post and comes out. The hosts are pushing hard for the equalizer to take the game to extra time.
Big stop from Simon to deny Andrich
A cross in finds Havertz and he nods it down to Fullkrug who tees up Andrich and his low shot is pushed away by Simon. Looks like Fulkrug was offside, but that was much better from Germany.
Can Germany respond? Fullkrug is on...
Mittelstaedt and Fullkrug are on for Raum and Gundogan. They’re going for it.
Olmo finishes calmly after a fine cross from Lamal - Spain 1-0 Germany (51st minute)
Yamine Lamal cuts inside from the right and plays it back to Dani Olmo on the edge of the box and he timed his run to perfection and calmly strokes home. Spain lead in Stuttgart against the hosts. Now, what kind of response are we going to get from Germany?
Fantastically weighted pass from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo's run is timed to perfection to calmly sweep home. When they're in full flow Spain make it look so effortless. #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/hDNgwOcg3z
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) July 5, 2024
Morata fires over
Yamal finds Morata and he turns superbly but then skies his effort from 10 yards out. He should be doing better with that. He did the hard bit.
Both teams make subs
Germany bring on Wirtz and Andrich for Sane and Can, while Spain bring on Nacho for Le Normand.
Half time: Spain 0-0 Germany
That first half had its moments as it ebbed and flowed early, but then became quite cagey and there were big tackles flying in. Nothing to choose between these two teams.
Olmo denied by Neuer
Havertz loses the ball and Olmo has a shot from distance which Neuer pushed away and then Germany clear.
Robin Le Normand booked and he’ll miss the semifinal too
Spain center back Robin Le Normand is now booked and he will miss the semifinal if Spain make it. The game has become a bit scrappy now.
Havertz heads on goal but Simon saves
Better from Germany and a good cross comes in from the right but Havertz heads straight down and at Simon who saves. Gratefully. Big chance for Germany. Havertz knows it.
End-to-end! Ruiz fires over
Germany have a go and Raum’s cross comes to nothing. Then Spain have a go and Fabian Ruiz fires just over from distance. What a brilliant end-to-end game this is.
Rudiger booked and out of the semifinal... if Germany get there
Olmo is clattered by Rudiger and is booked. That means Rudiger is out of the semifinal, if Germany make it. Big blow for the hosts. Yamal puts the free kick under the wall but wide.
Early blow for Spain as Pedri limps off
Pedri has hobbled off early after a late challenge from Toni Kroos and that is a big blow for Spain. Dani Olmo is on in his place and he’s been excellent at this tournament. Still, no Pedri is a real shame and Kroos is very lucky to not get a yellow card for that.
We are off and running and Spain have a chance
Right away Spain carve open Germany and it ends with Pedri hitting a tame shot straight at Manuel Neuer. Still, lovely hold-up play from Alvaro Morata and he had plenty of runners supporting him.
Spain lineup
Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Morata, Williams
Germany lineup
Neuer; Kimmich, Rudiger, Tah, Raum; Can, Kroos; Musiala, Gundogan, Sane; Havertz
Spain team news, focus
There are no suspension issues for Spain and only Nacho and Ayoze Perez had slight injury issues and both were unused substitutes against Georgia. There really aren’t many selection dilemmas for Luis de la Fuente as his starting team is playing well, while the likes of Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Joselu are all playing well off the bench when called upon.
Germany team news, focus
Jonathan Tah is back from suspension and should come back in at center back, while Florian Wirtz did well off the bench and could replace Leroy Sane on the wing. Kai Havertz continues to be under pressure for his starting spot with Niclas Fullkrug playing so well off the bench, but Havertz was very good against Denmark and will surely start again.
Spain vs Germany prediction
This feels like it will be a very close game but Spain may just wear down Germany with their fluid system, runs off the ball and supreme passing. Spain 2-1 Germany.