Arsenal star scores penalty in shootout to reach semi-finals | OneFootball

Mikel Merino scored a penalty to help Spain progress to the Nations League semi-finals in a shootout against the Netherlands on Sunday night.

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Spain had work to do going into Sunday’s Nations League quarter-final second leg against the Netherlands, having drawn the first leg 2-2 thanks to a last-minute Mikel Merino equaliser.

The home leg start out well for Spain, as they took the lead in the eighth minute, but that was just the beginning of a back-and-forth encounter between the two sides.

Three times Spain took the lead, and three times the Netherlands pegged them back with equalisers. After 120 minutes, the teams were still level at 3-3 on the night, 5-5 on aggregate.

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Merino had come on as a substitute late in the initial 90 minutes, and he remained on the pitch until the shootout. Given his recent switch to a centre-forward role at Arsenal, perhaps it should have been no surprise he decided to step up first for Spain when it went to penalties.

The 28-year-old made confident run-up, briefly pausing to look at the position of the goalkeeper before sending him the wrong way.

Spain ultimately went on to win the shootout 5-4, with Lamine Yamal having his penalty saved but Noa Lang and former Gunner Donyell Malen failing to convert for the Netherlands.

Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images

Merino should now return to Arsenal full of confidence, having only played 42 minutes for Spain but scoring a vital goal and then converting in a penalty-shootout win.