Topics: UEFA Euro 2020, Spain, Croatia, Pablo Sarabia, Andrej Kramarić, César Azpilicueta, Ferrán Torres, Alvaro Morata, Mikel Oyarzabal
La Roja Furia were delivered a scare in Monday's Round of 16 clash but ultimately came out on top.

What was a rather drab start to affairs in the encounter between Croatia and Spain eventually had life breathed into it with the former overcoming a late scare to book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2020 European Championship. La Roja almost had the advantage slip through their fingers but dug deep to score two vital goals in extra-time to secure an emphatic 5-3 win over the finalists of the 2016 edition of the competition.

Unai Simon, despite later vindicating himself with several brilliant stops, was saved from gracing the front-pages of tabloids in his home country by producing one of the worst goal keeping howlers in the tournament. The Athletic Club goalkeeper gifted Croatia the opener after failing to control a back pass from Pedri, allowing the ball to go right under his foot into the net in the 20th minute. 18 minutes later, Pablo Sarabia restored parity with a stunning strike after Dominik Livaković had produced a point-blank save to deny Alvaro Morata from close range.

The second half began on positive notes for both sides although it was Cesar Azpilicueta who tilted the odds in favor of Spain with a brilliantly headed goal in the 57th minute. Ferran Torres gave Luis Enrique's side a buffer by scoring the third goal inside the 76th minute before Croatia sparked a remarkable comeback by scoring tow goals in seven minutes. Substitute Mislav Oršić got took the scoreline to 2-3 in the 85th minute before assisting Mario Pašalić for the equalizer in the second minute of the five minutes additional time.

Croatia were on top for the early part of the first half of extra-time but against the run of play, Álvaro Morata smashed home Spain's fourth of the encounter to hand them the advantage in the 100th minute. Three minutes later Mikel Oyarzabal sealed the deal with his first goal of the tournament. Essentially, Spain secured their place among the last eight of the competition and will take on the winner of the Round of 16 clash between France and Switzerland.

Here are a few milestones revised in the European Championship's history as a result of the happenings in Monday's encounter: 

  • With eight goals scored, Croatia (3) and Spain (5) produced the second-highest-scoring match in European Championship history, after France v Yugoslavia in the 1960 semi-finals (9 – 5-4 to Yugoslavia).

  • Denmark were the first team in European Championship history to score 4 in back-to-back games. Spain are now the first team to score 5 goals in back-to-back games.

  • Alvaro Morata has scored his fifth goal at the European Championships, becoming Spain's joint-highest scorer in the competition along with Fernando Torres.

  • Ferran Torres (21 year 120 days) is the youngest player to both score and assist in a single major tournament match (World Cup/Euros) for Spain since Cesc Fabregas (21 year and 37 days) vs Russia at EURO 2008.

  • At 18 years and 215 days, Pedri became the youngest ever player to start a knockout game in a European Championship, overtaking the record of Wayne Rooney (18 years and 244 days v Portugal in 2004)

  • There have been nine own-goals scored at Euro 2020, as many as in all of the previous editions of the competition combined.

  • Azpilicueta, who has scored his first ever goal for Spain (27th cap), has become Spain's oldest ever goalscorer at the European Championships (31 years and 304 days).

  • Spanish midfielder Pedri's own-goal came at a distance of 49 yards, the longest-ever own-goal netted in the European Championships and the first one ever from outside the box.