Merino’s Late Magic
Mikel Merino has done it again. The Arsenal forward came off the bench and struck in the 88th minute, sending Spain past Belgium 2-1 in a tense World Cup quarterfinal at Los Angeles Stadium. Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring in the 30th minute, finishing a rebound after Dani Olmo’s shot was saved. Belgium answered before halftime through Charles De Ketelaere, who powered home a header from Timothy Castagne’s cross.
The match tightened from there, shifting decisively after Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois left injured in the 71st minute. His replacement, Senne Lammens, struggled under pressure. Substitute keeper errors often decide knockout football, and this one proved costly. Lammens spilled a low strike from Pau Cubarsí, and Merino pounced on the rebound to seal it. It marked his second straight match-winning substitute goal for Spain, following a similarly late strike against Portugal in the round of 16.
Courtois, visibly emotional, left the pitch in tears after his injury forced an early exit. For fans following every twist of the tournament, more World Cup breakdowns and predictions are available throughout the knockout stage. Spain now advance to face France in Dallas, a rematch loaded with history and confidence on the Spanish side.
Yamal Fires Warning at France
Lamine Yamal, named Man of the Match for his role in the win, wasted no time sending a message ahead of the semifinal. Speaking after the match, the Barcelona teenager suggested France should worry more about Spain than anyone else in the tournament, pointing to Spain’s past record of eliminating Les Bleus in major competitions. It echoes comments he made earlier in the tournament, when he argued France hadn’t beaten Spain in years and dismissed suggestions that Didier Deschamps’ side holds any psychological edge.
Belgium’s golden generation, led by Kevin De Bruyne, could not find an equalizer despite Romelu Lukaku’s late pressure. Aymeric Laporte’s acrobatic clearance in stoppage time kept the score intact. Full coverage of the result came via NBC Sports. Spain, unbeaten and increasingly battle-tested, now carry serious momentum into Tuesday’s showdown.