Spain secure semi-final spot with late winner against Belgium
Merino’s decisive contribution
Spain secured a place in the World Cup 2026 semi-finals following a 2-1 victory over Belgium. The decisive goal came late in the match from substitute Mikel Merino, who entered the game in the 88th minute. His goal was a direct result of an error by Belgium‘s stand-in goalkeeper, Senne Lammens.
Lammens had been introduced earlier in the game after Thibaut Courtois was forced off due to injury. Merino capitalised on a rebound from a shot by Pau Cubarsi, scoring with only his second touch of the game, just 117 seconds after coming on. This marked another late winner for Merino, who also scored a decisive goal in Spain‘s previous match against Portugal.
Speaking after the match, a smiling Merino commented on his knack for late goals, stating that if a player is prepared and tries, such moments can happen. He expressed his pleasure with the result and his dream of winning the World Cup, with only two matches remaining.
Match progression and key moments
The match saw Spain concede their first goal of the tournament. Belgium‘s Charles De Ketelaere, playing as a makeshift No 9, headed in a cross from Timothy Castagne to level the score. This goal cancelled out Spain‘s opener, which came from Fabian Ruiz. Ruiz scored after benefiting from a handling mistake by Courtois, slamming home a rebound from close range.
Before Merino‘s late intervention, the game featured several notable moments. In the 47th minute, Lamine Yamal was released by Cubarsi but was denied by Courtois in a one-on-one situation. Later, in the 55th minute, a one-two between Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne created an opportunity for Arthur De Cuyper, who shot carelessly at the side-netting.
Courtois remained busy, making saves from Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal in the 61st minute, before his injury forced his departure in the 72nd minute, leading to Lammens‘ introduction.
Spain‘s victory extends their unbeaten run to 36 matches since March 2023. This remarkable streak highlights the team’s consistent performance under manager Luis de la Fuente, who has now managed 13 games at major tournaments without a loss, a record among international managers.
Looking ahead to the semi-final
With this win, Spain has set up a highly anticipated semi-final clash against France. France secured their spot in the semi-finals by defeating Morocco in their quarter-final match. The semi-final between Spain and France is scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Texas, with the winner advancing to the final.
Spain‘s performance against Belgium was described as reminiscent of their vintage style, with key players delivering strong performances. Lamine Yamal, who generated significant pre-tournament attention, showcased his class, contributing significantly to Spain‘s build-up play with six efforts at goal and four successful dribbles. Rodri also played a central role, making 62 line-breaking passes in the final third, equalling a record set by Germany‘s Toni Kroos in 2014.
The quarter-final match between Spain and Belgium was broadcast by the BBC, featuring a panel of former professional footballers as pundits. These included Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, and former Spain international and Chelsea player Cesar Azpilicueta. The match commentary was provided by Steve Wilson and co-commentator Stephen Warnock, with Kelly Cates presenting the event from the SoFi Stadium.
Belgium entered the match having beaten co-hosts USA by a 4-1 score-line in their previous game, while Spain had advanced by knocking out Portugal with a 1-0 victory.
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Source: skysports.com