Substitute Mikel Merino delivered a decisive late goal to hand Spain a 2-1 victory over Belgium on Friday, clinching a place in the World Cup semi-finals against France. The match took place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where the outcome sets up a high-stakes meeting between Spain and the French squad on Tuesday in Dallas.
Spain initially took the lead through Fabian Ruiz, who capitalized on a rebound after Thibaut Courtois stopped a shot from Dani Olmo. Before the break, Charles De Ketelaere equalized for Belgium by heading in a cross from Timothy Castagne, marking the first time Spain conceded in the tournament. The first half was defined by Spanish ball control, though Belgium remained dangerous on the counter-attack.
The second half saw both teams trade opportunities. Belgium suffered a significant blow when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to leave the field due to an injury in the 70th minute. He was replaced by debutant Senne Lammens. In the 88th minute, Lammens failed to secure a long-range effort from Pau Cubarsi, allowing Mikel Merino to react quickly and net the winning goal.
This victory keeps Spain’s tournament run alive while signaling a painful end for Belgium’s veteran players. Despite the loss, Belgium managed to challenge the Spanish side throughout the match, overcoming the late withdrawal of captain Youri Tielemans during the pre-match warm-ups.
