As the celebrations continued on the field, Spain were now two goals up, and the stadium buzzed with the intensity of what had just transpired.
Both coaches had their work cut out for them, but for now, Spain held the advantage. The battle had shifted, but the war was far from over.
...…
The Olympiastadion was alive. Spanish flags rippled in the stands, the echoes of celebration reverberating through the Berlin night.
The scoreboard read Spain 2-0 Croatia, but La Roja weren't finished. They could smell it now—the third goal, the dagger that would all but end this contest before halftime.
Croatia looked weary. Luka Modrić, their eternal general, urged his teammates to stay sharp, but the weight of Spain's relentless pressure was beginning to show.
Every duel, every chase, every misplaced clearance chipped away at their confidence.
