Euro 2020: Spain defeat Croatia in high-scoring thriller, enter QF

In the huddle, Luka Modric was as animated as Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic. Also animated was Luis Enrique having had to lift himself from being on his haunches moments earlier when Mario Pasalic stole ahead to make it 3-3 and force extra-time in a pre-quarter final Spain looked to have wrapped up.

Leading 3-1 and bossing the game had Enrique taking off Ferran Torres and Koke before Spain were sucker-punched. Anonymous for much of evening in Copenhagen, Luka Modric hip-shaked past Unai Simon for Mislav Orsic to make it 2-3. Then Pasalic struck.

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But this is a Spain unfazed by adversity. They trailed by the most bizarre of own goals when Pedri’s long backpass was shinned in by goalie Unai Simon. They have struggled to score despite hogging possession but in their abilities and in a misfiring Alvaro Morata they kept the faith.

By the time the roller-coaster of a game ended, Morata and Simon had emerged heroes. Morata for making it 4-3 — the way he cushioned Dani Olmo’s delivery with his right foot and banged home with his left showed why in him Enrique trusts. And Simon for making a crucial save in the 67th minute off Josko Gvardiol and blocking Andrej Kramaric’s shot from close before Morata had scored.

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Spain made it 5-3 when Mikel Oyarzabal scored off another Olmo assist. All this seemed far way when Cesar Azpilicueta put them ahead after Pablo Sarabia’s equaliser and Torres had scored