Spain set up World Cup semi-final with France after late win against Belgium
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Mikel Merino celebrates scoring the winning goal for Spain in the 88th minute.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Mikel Merino scored a late winning goal as Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 to reach the World Cup semi-final against France.
- Belgium faced challenges with injuries to key midfielders and goalkeeper Courtois, impacting their performance.
- Spain dominated possession, scored first through Fabian Ruiz, and held on despite Belgium's strong comeback attempt.
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LOS ANGELES - Super sub Mikel Merino broke Belgian hearts and sent Spain through to a World Cup semi-final against France with a late goal in a gripping 2-1 win on July 10.
The stunning finish at SoFi Stadium sets up a tantalising showdown between European champions Spain and the tournament favourites France and the red-hot Kylian Mbappe in Dallas on July 14.
But it was heartbreak for Belgium’s substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who sent on late, spilt a shot into the path of Merino.
It was a heartbreaking moment for Lammens but Merino, who had also delivered the killer blow to Portugal in the last 16, turned to the massed ranks of Spanish fans in the 70,492 crowd and celebrated.
“It seems like a coincidence, and if you go in prepared, it can happen again. I’m thrilled. I doubt it will happen again, we’ll see,” Merino said of his second winning goal in a row, which came just two minutes after he came on in the 86th minute.
The dramatic finale came after Fabian Ruiz had opened the scoring for Spain, before Charles De Ketelaere grabbed one back for Belgium against the run of play before half-time.
Welcoming Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku back to the starting XI, Belgium were rocked by a hamstring injury during the warm-ups to captain Youri Tielemans that hit them hard.
Having already lost Amadou Onana to a ruptured ACL, the Red Devils would have to play a near second-choice midfield against the Spanish possession masters.
Ruiz, brought in for Pedri, wasted no time combining with Rodri to dominate the ball and Barcelona’s teen sensation Lamine Yamal curled an early shot just wide of the far post.
But opposing winger Doku was bright for Belgium, cutting in from the left to feed De Ketelaere, the striker fresh from his brace against the United States on July 6.
Still, it was Spain who struck first. On the half-hour mark, Pedro Porro played a sharp one-two with Yamal before expertly cutting it back from near the byline to Dani Olmo. Olmo’s shot was parried by Thibaut Courtois, but fell to Ruiz, who fired it home.
Midfielder Fabian Ruiz opens the scoring for Spain, past Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois.
PHOTO: AFP
Suddenly it was all Spain. They pinged passes around the Belgian half as though this World Cup quarter-final was a training exercise, laid on for an A-list crowd featuring Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz and Noel Gallagher.
But Belgium, having fought back astonishingly late from 2-0 down in the round-of-32 to dispatch Senegal, did not panic.
They grabbed one back in the 41st minute. De Bruyne slid a through ball wide to Timothy Castagne. His cross found De Ketelaere, who perfectly timed his run and outmuscled Barcelona youngster Pau Cubarsi to head home.
It was the first goal Spain had conceded this World Cup.
Improbably, Belgium almost grabbed another before half-time. Breaking from a Spain corner, De Ketelaere’s pass to a totally clear Doku was barely intercepted by Olmo.
Yamal grew into the game after the break, nearly finding Mikel Oyarzabal with an incisive cross that was well blocked by a charging Courtois.
Belgian coach Rudi Garcia brought on veteran striker Romelu Lukaku, who had scored from the bench in three straight games.
The game opened up. A Belgian cross hit Rodri’s arm but the impact was deemed accidental. Oyarzabal had a shot saved from a close, tight angle.
A tearful Courtois was forced off by injury after 70 minutes.
Belgium's Thibaut Courtois receiving medical attention after sustaining an injury.
PHOTO: REUTERS
He was replaced by Lammens, the 24-year-old Manchester United ’keeper making his World Cup debut in daunting circumstances. It turned out to be a nightmare.
In the 88th minute, Cubarsi shot low from range, and Lammens should have held on to the ball.
Instead, substitute Merino was first to the rebound, smashing it home.
Spain's Mikel Merino scores their second, late goal - the winner - past Belgium's Senne Lammens.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Late on Alexis Saelemaekers rounded Unai, but was unable to find Lukaku in front of an open goal.
As the whistle blow, Courtois came out to embrace a distraught Lammens, while other members of Belgium‘s ageing “Golden Generation” stood immobile and disbelieving.
Courtois, 34, who revealed to reporters that he had wanted to stay on the field before being substituted, offered sympathy to Lammens.
“I gave him a big hug. He’s a great goalkeeper. You only get stronger from this,” Courtois said of his team-mate.
“Eventually you cannot say much more to him or give him much more advice. He is a strong guy, strong personality. I’m sure he’ll be fine.
“You know, he will have some holidays and then regroup in Manchester and have a great season.”
For Spain, there were embraces and fist pumps, before attention quickly turns to their blockbuster clash with France.
Merino said Spain would relish facing France in the semi-final.
“We came here for this and we’re confident in our abilities. It is one of those games you dream of as a kid,” he added. AFP
