Beautiful pass by Mikel Merino and fine finish by Dani Olmo to level

Spain got better as the game went along in the Olympics quarter-final with the Ivory Coast. They started losing Oscar Mingueza who suffered a relapse of his muscle injury and then Eric Bailly put the Ivorians ahead after a defensive mistake by Eric Garcia and Pau Torres. Then, Spain levelled.

Dani Olmo got the goal. Spain got in Tape's box after Mikel Merino picked out Olmo with a beautiful pass which provoked a terrible error in defence. Singo's chest back to his goalkeeper was woefully underhite and OImo hit home from inside the six yard box.

The shot was from such close range that the keeper did not have time to react. A few minutes later, Mikel Oyarzabal thought he had put Spain 2-1 up. However, replays showed that he was offside from Juan Miranda's square pass and the VAR took the goal away. That was the closest we came to seeing another goal before the break.

Back to Olmo, the footballer is proving to be one of Spain's standout players not only in the OIympic team, but also for the national team. He shone at the Euros and he is doing the same in Japan. He is showing he could be a key footballer for Luis Enrique at future tournaments. 

 

July 31, 2021