INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Spain secured their spot in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Belgium, which felt like a foregone conclusion for much of the match.
Mikel Merino, who previously scored the winning goal against Portugal in the round of 16, capitalized on a missed save by Belgium’s backup goalkeeper, Senne Lammens, to net the decisive goal at Los Angeles Stadium. This win marks Spain’s second-ever appearance in the World Cup semifinals.
– Courtois exits in tears due to injury before Spain’s late goal
With this victory, Spain extended their unbeaten streak to 36 games—just one away from Italy’s all-time record of 37—as they gear up for a highly anticipated semifinal clash against France on Tuesday.
“It will be a clash of giants,” commented Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente via a translator.
Merino entered the match in the 86th minute and scored with his second touch, having previously secured the winning goal against Portugal as a substitute.
“I’ve done it again, which seems to suggest it’s not coincidence,” a beaming Merino remarked. “If you’re prepared and you put in the effort, good things can happen. I’m extremely happy.”
Lammens was pressed into action after the Belgian number one, Thibaut Courtois, was substituted in the 71st minute due to an apparent injury. Lammens should have done better to save Pau Cubarsi’s long-range shot, which he spilled right into Merino’s path for the goal.
De la Fuente made a notable lineup change, opting for Fabián Ruiz over Pedri, a decision that paid off shortly after the first-half hydration break when Ruiz scored from a rebound to put Spain ahead.
“We know the contributions these players bring when called upon,” De la Fuente stated after the match. “Both Pedri and Fabián are among the best players globally. We tailor our decisions based on the opponent and the role the player will fill.”
“We’ve chosen the best players in the world, and they share excellent chemistry on the national team. They excel at their clubs, and they understand it’s not about displacing others—there’s no room for discontent.”
The opening goal came after an impressive build-up on the right, with Lamine Yamal assisting Pedro Porro, whose shot was parried by Courtois only to fall to Ruiz for an easy tap-in.
Barcelona prodigy Yamal made his sixth tournament appearance, setting a record as the youngest player to achieve this at a World Cup.
Despite Spain’s early dominance, Belgium equalized just before halftime thanks to a well-placed cross from Timothy Castagne, which Charles De Ketelaere converted with a glancing header, ending Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón’s remarkable 650-minute scoreless streak at this World Cup.
Spain maintained possession early in the second half, but Belgium displayed moments of danger, primarily through Jérémy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne, who nearly combined for a go-ahead goal.
However, Belgium was dealt a significant blow when Courtois was replaced after appearing to struggle following a clearance. He initially received treatment and seemed ready to continue but was substituted moments later.
Belgium’s coach, Rudi Garcia, confirmed Courtois sustained a muscle injury, which prevented him from playing at full capacity.
“It’s a part of high-level sports. Players need to be fully sharp for matches like these,” Garcia remarked. “I made it clear from the start of the tournament that I didn’t want anyone on the field who wasn’t fully fit, including Courtois.”
This was not Belgium’s first injury setback, as captain Youri Tielemans was ruled out with an injury sustained during warm-ups.
Garcia expressed regret over Tielemans’ absence, stating, “It’s disappointing because I believed every player deserved the chance to go far. We were close to extra time and played a very tactical first half. I thought we could have turned it in our favor around the 60th minute, but it didn’t happen.”
Information from The Associated Press and ESPN Global Research contributed to this report.