Arsenal star scores again for Spain plus Timber’s absence explained | OneFootball

Arsenal’s Mikel Merino scored for Spain against the Netherlands on Thursday night, with Jurrien Timber missing the quarter-final first leg match through illness.

Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images

Arsenal duo Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber were due to face off against each other on Thursday night, with their respective countries playing in the Nations League quarter-finals against each other.

Yet Timber was ultimately left out of the Dutch squad, with the team’s official social media accounts confirming he wasn’t available due to illness. And Merino wasn’t involved from the start either, beginning the game on the bench.

Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

The game started well for Spain, with Nico Williams swivelling on a shot to give his team the lead in the ninth minute. But Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo made it 1-1 before the half-hour mark.

The Netherlands turned the game on its head by taking the lead in the 46th minute, but Jorrel Hato was dismissed after a straight-red foul in the 81st.

Merino was introduced from the bench to try and help Spain to salvage something from the game, and he was on hand to turn home after Williams’ shot was rebounded to him via Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen.

Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images

All in all, it was a good result for Spain, who will now take a 2-2 draw back home for the second leg. As for Merino, that’s three goals and one assist in five matches in March.