Spain Reaches World Cup Semifinals After 2-1 Win Over Belgium

POLICY WIRE — Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in a World Cup quarterfinal match on Friday, securing a spot in the semifinals against France. Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute.

Merino’s goal followed a rebound from a long shot by Pau Cubarsi, which Belgium’s backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens initially spilled. This marked Merino’s second goal of the tournament, both scored in critical knockout matches, according to reports.

Spain initially took the lead in the 30th minute with a goal from Fabian Ruiz. However, Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere equalized in the 41st minute, scoring the first goal conceded by the Spanish team in the entire World Cup tournament. Spain had maintained an unbeaten streak of 37 competitive matches since March 2023, and goalkeeper Unai Simon had not conceded a goal in 650 minutes, a World Cup record, prior to De Ketelaere’s score.

Merino, a versatile player for his country — and English club Arsenal, commented on his repeated late-game heroics. He stated, I’ve done this again, and it’s happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists. He added, “If you’re ready and you try, I guess it can happen for you.” Merino also acknowledged the role of fortune, noting that Belgium’s goalkeeper Lammens provided an opportunity after being forced into the match due to an injury to starter Thibaut Courtois.

Belgium’s starting goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, left the game in the 71st minute after sustaining an injury following a long kick. Courtois, who had made four saves, was visibly emotional as he was removed from the match. Lammens, a Manchester United keeper, became the first goalkeeper other than Courtois to play for Belgium in the last four World Cup tournaments. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia stated, We were on equal footing with Spain, and we have nothing to feel bad about. Garcia added, “In the first half, they only had one chance, but they were very efficient. Unfortunately, to beat a team of this caliber, you need luck on your side as well, and it was too much for us to get into the semifinals.”

The victory sends Spain to the semifinals for the first time since their 2010 World Cup win. They’re scheduled to face France on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. Spain coach Luis De La Fuente described the upcoming match as a clash of giants. He expressed confidence in his team, stating, “We are capable of winning this game — and not just now, but I would have said this a few weeks ago as well. They are a great giant of football, but I trust our team.”

Belgium’s 18-match unbeaten streak across all competitions concluded with the loss. Despite a late push for an equalizer, including efforts led by substitute forward Romelu Lukaku, Spain’s defense, notably Aymeric Laporte, cleared a key chance in injury time. Belgium defender Brandon Mechele remarked, “We knew how we could hurt them, and I think we did this today. It’s a pity that it ended like this, but I think we can be proud of the tournament we played.”

Belgium also faced other player absences, with captain Youri Tielemans removed from the starting lineup due to an injury during warmups, and defender Amadou Onana sidelined. Kevin De Bruyne, however, returned — and started the match for Belgium.