Spain defeats Belgium 2-1 to reach World Cup semifinals
Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute after Belgium’s substitute goalkeeper fumbled, giving Spain a 2-1 win and a place in the semifinal against France.
Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Belgium on Friday, thanks to a late goal by substitute midfielder Mikel Merino. Merino entered the match in the 86th minute and, two minutes later, capitalised on a rebound after Belgium’s backup keeper Senne Lammens failed to control a long shot, sending the ball into the net in the 88th minute.
Spain had taken the lead in the 30th minute through a rebound by Fabián Ruiz, but Belgium equalised in the 41st minute when forward Charles De Ketelaere headed in a cross. The Spanish side held on despite Belgium’s pressure in the closing stages, including a late attempt by Romelu Lukaku that was cleared by Aymeric Laporte.
“I’ve done this again, and it’s happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists,” Merino said after the match.
“We came here for this, to play against the best teams in the world. We are confident in our possibilities, at the same time respecting the opposition,” he added.
Spain will face tournament favourites France in the semifinal on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. Both teams have remained unbeaten in the competition so far.
“It will be a clash of giants. We are capable of winning this game,” Spain coach Luis de La Fuente said through a translator.
Belgium’s coach Rudi Garcia noted that his side had been equal with Spain in the first half but lacked the luck needed to force a win. Defender Brandon Mechele expressed pride in Belgium’s overall tournament performance despite the loss.
The win extends Spain’s unbeaten run in competitive matches to 37 games, while Belgium’s 18-match unbeaten streak across all competitions ended.