Merino's Late Goal Seals World Cup Semifinal Spot for Spain After Belgium Error

Mikel Merino's late heroics propelled Spain into the World Cup semifinals, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium. The match, decided in the 88th minute, saw Merino pounce on a costly error by Belgian substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who was thrust into action after an injury to Thibaut Courtois. This substitution proved to be a turning point, according to international media.

Spanish newspapers lauded Merino's decisive contribution. Marca pointed to Courtois' injury as the key moment, while AS and Mundo Deportivo celebrated Merino's impact, with the latter humorously referring to him as a "saint." El País highlighted Merino's "next dance" as Spain advanced to face France in the next round.

In Belgium, the mood was one of disappointment. De Standaard described the 2:1 loss as "unavoidable but certainly preventable." French media also focused on the late goal and the goalkeeper's mistake. L'Équipe set up the semifinal clash between France and Spain, noting that "Les Bleus await La Roja." Le Parisien observed that a "dominant La Roja" only found the breakthrough due to Lammens' error.

Anglo-American outlets also zeroed in on the dramatic finish. The New York Times framed it as Spain "exploiting a mistake to knock Belgium out," setting up a "blockbuster" semifinal. The Telegraph directly attributed Belgium's exit to "Lammens' error" while Merino sent Spain through.