Merino strikes again in 88th minute after Courtois injury and Lammens error as Spain beat Belgium 2-1 to set up France semi-final

Ruiz sets the tone

Spain took the lead on the half-hour mark at the Los Angeles stadium. Pedro Porro and Lamine Yamal combined on the right, with Yamal sliding a perfectly weighted pass for Porro to dash into the area and pull back for Dani Olmo. Thibaut Courtois pushed away Olmo's first-time shot, but Fabian Ruiz was on hand to score from the rebound, sweeping the ball in from roughly seven metres. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder had been selected ahead of Pedri by coach Luis de la Fuente, a decision that paid off immediately. Spain had already asserted control, playing twice as many passes as Belgium within the first 15 minutes and dominating possession throughout the opening period.

De Ketelaere ends Spain's record run

Belgium, forced into a late change when Youri Tielemans injured himself during the warm-up and was replaced by Hans Vanaken, found a way back before half-time. Jeremy Doku, reinstated to the starting eleven alongside Kevin De Bruyne, caused persistent problems for the Spanish defence with his dribbling. In the 41st minute, a move involving De Bruyne and Timothy Castagne ended with Castagne crossing from the right for Charles De Ketelaere, whose header beat Unai Simon. The goal ended Simon's record streak without conceding at this World Cup at 649 minutes, a mark that had already surpassed Walter Zenga's previous World Cup record of 517 minutes, set with Italy.

Courtois exits in tears

Belgium's resistance suffered a heavy blow midway through the second half. Thibaut Courtois, who had produced several saves to deny Lamine Yamal, pulled up with a muscular injury and had to leave the pitch in the 66th minute, replaced by Senne Lammens. The Real Madrid goalkeeper was visibly distraught, shedding tears as he walked off. Before the tournament, Courtois had indicated this would likely be his final World Cup, though he had recently softened that stance. His departure with the score locked at 1-1 left 11 million Belgians and their teammates contemplating the prospect of extra time and the possibility of a penalty shootout, a scenario Belgium had faced only once before at a World Cup, against Spain in 1986, when they converted every spot-kick.

Belgium has the best goalkeeper in the world in Thibaut Courtois.

Lammens' error and Merino's intervention

Senne Lammens, the Manchester United goalkeeper, was thrust into his first World Cup appearance in the 71st minute. With fewer than three minutes of normal time remaining, Pau Cubarsi let fly from outside the area. Lammens could not hold the shot, spilling it directly into the path of Mikel Merino. The Arsenal midfielder, who had entered the match in the 86th minute as a substitute, reacted quickest and scored with his second touch of the game. It was a near-repeat of his late winner against Portugal in the round of 16, when he had also come off the bench to settle the contest in stoppage time.

France next as Belgium rue what might have been

Belgium pressed desperately for an equaliser in the closing moments, but Aymeric Laporte cleared their best opportunity off the line in the second minute of stoppage time. The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 defeat that left a lingering sense of what might have been, articulated most sharply by Courtois's tears on the bench. For Spain, the victory sets up a semi-final against tournament favourites France on Tuesday 14 July in Dallas, a clash between two European champions with a place in the 19 July final at stake.