Spain edge past Belgium with late Merino strike to set up France semi-final
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Spain edge past Belgium with late Merino strike to set up France semi-final
France reach World Cup semi-finals with 2-0 win over Morocco
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Spain secured their place in the World Cup semi-finals on Friday night after substitute Mikel Merino scored a dramatic 88th-minute winner to defeat Belgium 2-1 in a tense quarter-final in Los Angeles. The victory, sealed by a costly error from substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens, sends La Roja into a blockbuster semi-final clash with France in Dallas on Tuesday.
Merino, who had already scored the decisive goal against Portugal in the Round of 16, once again emerged as Spain’s hero at the last possible moment. His close-range finish followed a rebound from Lammens, who had spilled a routine save, leaving the Arsenal midfielder unmarked to slot home. “I’m over the moon,” Merino told reporters after the match. “You get used to it. I came on again and scored the decisive goal. At the Euros, I did it against Germany, and now here. It’s incredible.”
The match had been finely balanced until the final stages, with Spain’s record-breaking goalkeeper Unai Simón ending his 649-minute clean sheet streak when Charles De Ketelaere equalised for Belgium in the 41st minute. That goal made De Ketelaere the first player to score against Simón in this tournament, ending a remarkable run that had stood since the group stage. Simón’s record had surpassed 600 minutes without conceding, a testament to Spain’s defensive solidity under Luis de la Fuente.
Belgium’s hopes were shattered in the 71st minute when Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid shot-stopper and a 21-time World Cup veteran, was forced off with an injury. His replacement, Lammens, made an immediate impact—though not in the way Belgium would have hoped. In the 88th minute, a seemingly harmless shot from Merino bounced off Lammens’ chest and into the net, sealing Spain’s passage to the semi-finals for the first time since winning the World Cup in 2010.
Courtois, visibly emotional on the bench, later described the moment as “a terrible feeling.” “I wanted to play those last five or ten minutes,” he said. “I made some important saves after the 1-1, but ultimately it was the coach’s decision. The tears were frustration—frustration that I had to come off in such a big game.”
Spain will now face France in Dallas on Tuesday, a match that promises to be a collision of Europe’s two most formidable teams. France, who defeated Morocco 2-0 in their quarter-final on Thursday, have received a significant boost with Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni expected to be fully fit. Mbappé, who scored his eighth goal of the tournament against Morocco, downplayed concerns over a minor heel injury, telling reporters: “I took a knock, but it’s fine. I can jump, I can run.”
For Spain, the semi-final represents a chance to avenge their Euro 2024 defeat to France and potentially reach a first World Cup final since 2010. Lamine Yamal, the teenage sensation who has yet to score in this tournament, insisted that the team’s focus remains on collective success. “If we win the World Cup, nobody will care about me not scoring,” he said after the match.
The victory in Los Angeles was met with jubilant celebrations in Madrid, where fans filled the streets to cheer Spain’s progress. The match itself was a rollercoaster, with Belgium dominating possession in the first half and Spain struggling to break through until the final minutes. But as Merino’s name once again echoed through the stadium, it was clear that Spain’s tournament is far from over.
With France next in the semi-finals, the stage is set for what many are calling a de facto final before the final. Both teams have shown resilience and attacking flair, but only one will advance to the World Cup final in Miami.
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