Spain beats Belgium 2-1 to reach World Cup semi-final as super-sub Merino strikes again

Spain is through to the World Cup semi-final after a tense 2-1 victory over Belgium at SoFi Stadium on Friday night. The quarter-final hung in the balance until the 88th minute, when Mikel Merino pounced on a rebound to decide the contest.

How the match unfolded

Spain started aggressively and took the lead in the 30th minute. Lamine Yamal fed Dani Olmo, whose shot was parried by Thibaut Courtois only for Fabian Ruiz to fire home the rebound. Belgium responded 11 minutes later when Timothy Castagne crossed from the right and Charles De Ketelaere headed past Unai Simon, the first goal Spain had conceded all tournament.

The second half was more balanced than expected. Maxim De Cuyper missed a close-range chance for Belgium in the 54th minute, while Courtois produced sharp saves against Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal at the other end. In the 71st minute Courtois limped off with a quadriceps injury, forcing third-choice goalkeeper Senne Lammens into the match for only his third international appearance.

Merino repeats his super-sub act

Luis de la Fuente turned to his bench and sent on Merino. The Arsenal midfielder needed only two minutes to make the difference. In the 88th minute, Pau Cubarsí unleashed a shot from distance, Lammens could only parry it in front of him, and Merino reacted fastest to slot home the winner. According to OptaJoe, Merino is the first player in World Cup history to score the decisive goal in two different knockout-stage matches as a substitute. In the round of 16 against Portugal he had delivered a 1-0 victory six minutes after entering the field.

Mikel Merino is the first player in the history of the FIFA World Cup to score a decisive goal in two different knockout-stage matches as a substitute.

Belgium pushed for an equaliser in stoppage time, but Aymeric Laporte cleared Alexis Saelemaekers' effort off the line.

Courtois injury and the goalkeeping fallout

Courtois' departure was a turning point. The 34-year-old Real Madrid keeper later described the issue: "I felt a lot of pain in my quadriceps muscle, but I had no problem staying between the posts, the only problem was long kicks." He added that coach Rudi Garcia made the decision to withdraw him and he accepted it because "the team is above everything." Lammens was heavily criticised in Belgian media for failing to hold Cubarsí's strike, a mistake that proved fatal.

Belgian pride and regrets

Belgium's players acknowledged Spain's superiority while lamenting missed opportunities. Timothy Castagne told Sporza: "They were the better team. If we want to go further, we have to play much better. We created few chances and rarely kept the ball." He said the side "perhaps lacked quality."

They were the better team. If we want to go further, we have to play much better. We created few chances and rarely kept the ball.

Youri Tielemans, injured during the warm-up and unable to play, believed fatigue cost Belgium. "We fought, but something more was needed. The Spanish also had a bit of luck with both goals," he said. Coach Rudi Garcia pointed to bad fortune, Tielemans' pre-match injury, Courtois' exit, and Kevin De Bruyne also leaving the field hurt, but stressed he was proud of the team. King Philippe, who dined with the squad the night before and told them "I'm sure you will win," watched from the stands.

Yamal named MVP, controversy follows

Lamine Yamal played the full 90 minutes and received an 8 out of 10 rating from Catalan daily Sport, which praised his constant dribbling and ability to draw extra defenders. Mundo Deportivo noted his threat in the first half but added that his form dipped after the break. FIFA awarded him player of the match, sparking a backlash online. Critics pointed out that Yamal recorded no goals and no assists, arguing the honour should have gone to Merino. "How? He didn't score or assist," one comment read. "The FIFA PR machine is running at full speed," wrote another.

What comes next

Spain, unbeaten since a March 2024 friendly loss to Colombia, face France in the semi-final on 14 July at 21:00. Belgium exit the tournament and resume competitive action in the UEFA Nations League this autumn, where they will face France, Italy, and Turkey.