Super-sub Mikel Merino broke Belgian hearts with an 88th-minute winner, lifting Spain to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Belgium in a gripping World Cup quarter-final at SoFi Stadium. The dramatic triumph sets up a blockbuster semi-final clash against tournament favorites France in Dallas on Tuesday. For Belgium, the loss marked a heartbreaking conclusion for their aging “Golden Generation,” compounded by late-game misfortune when substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens, thrust onto the pitch for his World Cup debut after a 70th-minute injury to Thibaut Courtois, spilled a low shot that allowed Merino to smash home the decisive rebound.
Spain dictated the early tempo before an A-list crowd, capitalizing on a pre-match blow to Belgium when captain Youri Tielemans suffered a warm-up hamstring injury. The Spanish side broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark when Fabian Ruiz pounced on a parried Dani Olmo shot to fire home the opening goal. However, Belgium refused to back down and struck back just before halftime in the 41st minute. Seizing a brilliant pass from Kevin De Bruyne, Timothy Castagne delivered a precise cross to striker Charles De Ketelaere, who outmuscled Spanish defender Pau Cubarsi to head home the first goal Spain has conceded in the entire tournament.
The match opened up significantly in the second half, transforming into a tense, end-to-end battle with chances falling to both sides, including a near-miss from Belgium’s Alexis Saelemaekers in the dying moments. Merino’s late heroics mirrored his previous match performance against Portugal, sealing his reputation as Spain’s ultimate late-game savior from the bench. As the final whistle blew, a devastated Belgian squad stood in disbelief while the Spanish side celebrated a hard-fought victory, immediately turning their focus to a highly anticipated showdown with Kylian Mbappé and the rest of the French national team.
