🔗 Share this article Merino's Double Ignites Spain's Scoring Spree in Dominant Win Over Bulgaria Everything started in Scottish soil and this impressive streak remains unbroken. That memorable evening at Hampden marked only Luis de la Fuente's second outing as Spain's manager; numerous observers thought it might prove to be his last match in charge. Although two Scott McTominay goals overcoming La Furia Roja, while virtually everyone expected his spell would be short-lived, the coach spoke about a pathway emerging - and interestingly, the man previously criticized of living in Disneyland proved correct. 36 months and later, Spain moved extremely close of global football qualification, and also racking up their twenty-ninth consecutive official game unbeaten, matching the historic record. Pedri's Influence and Merino's Impact During an evening when Pedri featured and Mikel Merino made the difference, Spain defeated Bulgaria four-nil to secure 12 points from 12 in World Cup qualification, nearing advancement. The Arsenal playmaker and sometime forward netted the first two goals and might have secured his second consecutive hat-trick in three Spain matches but when fouled in the final minute, he generously handed the penalty to Mikel Oyarzabal instead. Therefore it was the Real Sociedad striker, goal-getter of the winning goal in the Euro 2024 showpiece, who continued the remarkable sequence, equaling what Vicente del Bosque's golden generation accomplished between 2010 and 2013. Record Equaled Currently, readers may have observed the symbol, and correctly so. While FIFA may not count it as a loss, during this remarkable run Spain did lose once – 7-5 on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League final back in June. Yet officially at least, this current team has matched that legendary squad against which all Spanish national teams are compared. Win in Georgia in a month and the record will be exclusively theirs. Along the way they won the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and advanced to a Nations League final in 2025; they head toward 2026 sitting number one, among the frontrunners once more, just like previous eras. Total Control The match represented "only" versus Bulgaria, it is true, just as previous matches against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four wins from four outings, combined score fifteen-zero. Occurred two moments immediately after the Spanish team obtained their first two goals – the third strike being an own goal – but eventually their opponents had not been permitted a single shot on target. Overall count showed: 33-3, Spain demonstrably playing as Spain. Bulgaria's coach had confessed the only objective his team could have was to resist as long as possible. As it turned out, that defensive effort lasted 33 minutes, and Merino's header represented Spain's eighteenth attempt on target by that point. Pedri's Masterclass This performance was about the entire team, but at the core of it was Pedri, everywhere and elusive at once: everywhere for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, incapable to detect him as he darted through their lines. He completed 101 passes by the time he was withdrawn to a rapturous applause on the sixty-sixth minute, and his were the instances of greatest subtlety, the finest touches and the most incisive as well. When the José Zorrilla chanted his name during the opening period, he had just slipped unmarked into the penalty box once more, dinking his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the woodwork, but it was not only that. He had already lifted a gorgeous pass into Álex Baena to volley wide and pulled another back from which Baena was blocked. Sustained Attack An cleverly weighted delivery had set Samu Aghehowa up for what should have been the opener, and a neat lay-off saw Oyarzabal scuff his attempt. He received a opportunity of his own only to be unable to find a clean contact, volleying wide. But then, shortly after, he delivered an additional ball in. This time Robin Le Normand headed across and Merino headed in. Spain, who had eighty-eight percent of the ball, now had the lead. The positioning chart appeared like they had run out of spray paint midway through and a moment later Aghehowa might have made it two-nil. Momentary Threat But then in part it's the uncertainty, even the injustice, that makes football great. And the initial occasion Bulgaria advanced into Spain's territory they might have equalized, Kiril Despodov suddenly breaking away and hitting the side-netting. Introduced for Aghehowa at the half-time, Borja Iglesias had three chances in as many minutes before Merino did it again. The delivery from the left was superb from Álex Grimaldo and there, leaping above all defenders, was Merino to direct the header down and dash off to celebrate round the flagpost. Final Moments As they had after the first goal, Bulgaria escaped once more, Despodov played through and sending his and their following shot wide and nevertheless the first time the visitors had a shot on target it was at the incorrect goal, Atanas Chernev turning into his own net. Still it was not completely done, Merino fouled in the legs and allowing to let Oyarzabal blast in the ninety-ninth goal of De la Fuente's ongoing tenure.