Spain vs Belgium 2-1: Mikel Merino Late Goal Sends Spain to World Cup Semifinals
Mikel Merino struck in the 88th minute to seal a dramatic 2-1 win over Belgium on Friday and send Spain into the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 2010. Spain’s ultimate super-sub had reprised his role in decisive fashion. Merino, who entered the fray in the 86th minute, needed just two touches to decide a tense quarterfinal. After substitute Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens spilt a low, long-range drive from Pau Cubarsí, the Arsenal forward reacted quickest, charging deep into the penalty area to smash home the rebound. It marked the second consecutive match where Merino delivered the winning blow from the bench, having previously sunk Portugal deep into stoppage time during the round of 16. **"I’ve done this again, and it’s happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists," a smiling Merino said after the match. "If you’re ready and you try, it can happen for you. I’m very, very pleased."** The defeat ended Belgium's 18-match unbeaten run and extended Spain’s remarkable undefeated streak to 37 games dating back to March 2023. Head coach Luis De La Fuente’s side will now travel to Dallas on Tuesday for what he described as a "clash of giants" against tournament favourites France. Belgium’s evening began with a setback when captain Youri Tielemans picked up an injury during warmups, forcing a late scratch from the starting lineup alongside the already injured Amadou Onana. Despite the disruption, a returning Kevin De Bruyne anchored the midfield. Both sides then played out a cagey opening half-hour.  Spain broke the deadlock in the 30th minute. Lamine Yamal and Pedro Porro combined smoothly down the right flank to find Dani Olmo. Courtois made a superb initial save to deny Olmo's strike, but Fabián Ruiz—handed a surprise start over Pedri—was perfectly placed to hammer home the rebound for his first goal of the competition. Belgium fought back fiercely before the break. Then, in the 41st minute, Timothy Castagne delivered a pinpoint cross into the box. Charles De Ketelaere muscled past teenage defender Cubarsí, heading the ball beyond Unai Simón to level the score. The goal ended Simón’s World Cup-record streak of 650 minutes without conceding, dating back to the Qatar tournament. The match shifted fundamentally in the 71st minute when Courtois went down with a clear thigh injury, leaving the field in tears after making four crucial saves. With backup keeper Lammens thrust into his first minutes of the tournament, Spain intensified their pressure. That pressure culminated in Merino's late heroics. Belgium threw everything forward in the dying moments. Substitute forward Romelu Lukaku spearheaded a desperate hunt for an equaliser, but Aymeric Laporte executed a spectacular, acrobatic volleyed clearance in the second minute of injury time to preserve Spain's lead and secure their place in the final four.
