Spain advanced to the World Cup semi-finals following a 2-1 victory over Belgium, with Mikel Merino scoring a late winner. This sets up a clash with France in Dallas on Tuesday. Merino’s goal came in the 88th minute, marking his second consecutive match as a late scorer for Spain.
The match saw Spain take an aggressive approach early on. Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain in the 30th minute. His goal came after Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois parried a shot from Dani Olmo, which originated from Pedro Porro’s cut-back from the right side of the area. Ruiz’s inclusion in the starting lineup, a decision by coach Luis de la Fuente, proved effective.
Belgium responded 11 minutes later when Charles De Ketelaere equalised in the 41st minute. His header, following a cross from Timothy Castagne, marked the first goal Spain had conceded in the entire World Cup tournament. This goal ended Spain’s record streak of 649 minutes without conceding in the World Cup.
Late Drama and Key Injuries
The equaliser brought new energy to Belgium, and both teams battled through the first half in challenging conditions. However, Belgium faced significant injury setbacks during the match. Their long-time goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, left the field in the 71st minute due to an apparent thigh injury. He was replaced by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Additionally, Belgium captain Youri Tielemans was removed from the starting lineup shortly before kickoff after sustaining an injury during the warm-up, with Hans Vanaken stepping in. The team was also without midfielder Amadou Onana, who had torn his ACL in their previous match against the United States.
Mikel Merino, who came on as a substitute in the 86th minute, made an immediate impact. His winning goal came from a rebound after Senne Lammens failed to hold a shot from Pau Cubarsi from outside the area. Merino charged into the box and capitalised on the spilled ball, scoring with his second touch of the match.
This late goal secured Spain’s advancement to the semi-finals. Merino had also scored as a substitute in injury time during Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the last-16 match. Despite Belgium’s efforts to find an equaliser in the final minutes, Aymeric Laporte volleyed their best chance out of the box.
Looking Ahead to the Semi-Finals
With this victory, Spain will now face tournament favourites France in the semi-finals. The match is scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Dallas. The only other time Spain reached the semi-finals at the World Cup was in 2010, when they ultimately won the tournament. They finished fourth in 1950, during a group stage final round.
The sold-out stadium in Los Angeles, where the quarter-final was played, saw a number of notable attendees, including musicians Courtney Love and Noel Gallagher, and actors Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem. The atmosphere was largely in favour of Spain as they secured their spot in the next stage of the competition.
Spain’s ability to secure a late winner against an injury-hit Belgium side highlights their resilience as they prepare for a challenging encounter with France.
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Source: aljazeera.com
