Spain enjoyed more of the possession but failed to find a breakthrough as they went into the break locked at 0-0 with Portugal in a tightly contested FIFA World Cup Round of 16 encounter.
La Roja controlled 55 percent of the ball compared to Portugal’s 45 percent, dictating much of the tempo without turning their dominance into goals. Spain also completed 250 passes to Portugal’s 210, reflecting their patient approach in midfield.
Despite seeing less of the ball, Portugal looked dangerous on the counter and matched Spain’s attacking intent. The Portuguese registered five shots, while Spain managed eight in an opening 45 minutes that produced few clear-cut chances.
The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock arrived in the 42nd minute when Mendez unleashed a fierce effort from outside the area. His strike took a deflection off Pedro Porro before crashing against the post, leaving Spain relieved to escape what could have been a costly own goal.
With both teams remaining disciplined defensively, the first half ended goalless, setting up an intriguing second period as a place in the World Cup quarter-finals remains up for grabs.
