Mikel Merino admits he is living 'wildest dreams' after scoring another winning goal

[p]"[b]I couldn't have imagined something like this even in my wildest dreams - another goal in the dying minutes,[/b]" said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Merino[/a], who had already scored in stoppage time in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a]'s 1-0 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] on Monday.[/p][p]"[b]I thought it would take a long time to repeat a feat like that... and I managed it in the very next game![/b]"[/p][p]Late in the game and with the score tied 1-1, Spain's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cubarsi-pau/UgTrNwCF/"]Pau Cubarsi[/a] had shot low from range.[/p][p]Belgian substitute 'keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a] should have held onto the ball. Instead it bounced toward Merino, who had only been on the pitch two minutes himself. The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] player was first to the rebound and fired it in.[/p][p]Merino said it was not purely a coincidence, attributing his dramatic late success to "going out there with drive" and belief in himself to "[b]contribute wherever you're needed[/b]."[/p][p]"[b]That's exactly what I did,[/b]" he said.[/p][embed guid="daad5feb-7ad8-4903-aabc-c3ea4ee7ffd0" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2075686533261086782?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Merino said his team's run to a semi-final clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] at the World Cup has so far been "less flashy" than Spain's victorious campaign at the European Championships two years ago.[/p][p]"[b]It was a struggle today,[/b]" he admitted.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/belgium-GbB957na/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=MHGPEKi5"]The win[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] sets up a tough test against France, who are the World Cup favorites, but who Spain beat 2-1 at the Euros.[/p][p]"[b]It's going to be a head-to-head battle. That's how semifinals always are. We're going into the match against France hungry and eager,[/b]" he said.[/p][p]"[b]It's an elite-level match, the highest level. We are two teams playing at the very top of our game.[/b][/p][p]"[b]We'll try to do our absolute best,[/b]" he said.[/p]