A run built on txuri-urdin goals | OneFootball

Mikel Oyarzabal led Spain’s charge with five goals, while fellow txuri-urdin Mikel Merino delivered late winners against Portugal and Belgium.

According to Diario Vasco, Oyarzabal drew a blank against Cabo Verde, then struck twice against Saudi Arabia, creating Lamine Yamal’s opener before turning in Aymeric Laporte’s flick in a 4-0 win.

He added a second from a Dani Olmo header and clipped the bar before the break. FIFA named him player of the match.

Goalless against Uruguay, he hit another double in the last 32 against Austria, guiding in a Marc Cucurella cross then steering home another from the left seconds before 90 minutes. He celebrated by tucking the ball under his shirt for his second child due soon.

In the last 16 with Portugal he started and dragged wide from an Olmo pass after eight minutes with no flag. Substitute Merino arrived to sweep in left footed in stoppage time on 6 July, marking San Fermín with a red neckerchief.

Belgium followed in the quarter-finals, Fabián put Spain ahead before Charles De Ketelaere levelled. On in the 86th minute, Merino pounced on a Cubarsí shot spilled by deputy keeper Lammens, who had replaced the injured Courtois, to score on 88 minutes.

Oyarzabal’s fifth arrived against France in the semi-final, a penalty in the 20th minute after Lucas Digne fouled Yamal, struck past Mike Maignan for his 60th career spot-kick for club and country. Pedro Porro added a second after the interval as Spain reached the final.

Source: Diario Vasco