Spain Advances to World Cup Semifinals After Controversial 2-1 Win Over Belgium

Spain secured a spot in the World Cup semifinals after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgium in Los Angeles. The Spanish team will now face France in their next match.

The game remained tied 1-1 until the 88th minute when Mikel Merino scored the winning goal. Merino capitalized on a rebound after Belgian reserve goalkeeper Lammens, who replaced the injured Courtois, mishandled a shot from Cubarsi. This late goal sealed Spain's advancement.

Earlier in the match, Spain had taken the lead in the 30th minute with a goal from Fabian Ruiz. Belgium managed to equalize before halftime, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring in the 41st minute. The match seemed headed for extra time until Merino's decisive strike.

A key moment of contention occurred in the 62nd minute when Belgium appealed for a penalty. Rodri appeared to handle the ball in his own penalty area, but referee Michael Oliver immediately waved play on. The decision was upheld after review, as per the Laws of the Game. The rule dictates that handball is not penalized if the ball strikes a player's hand after being deflected by a teammate, which was precisely what happened when Rodri's teammate Aymeric Laporte inadvertently played the ball onto his hand. This exception to the handball rule, particularly when a teammate is the source of the contact, meant no penalty was given.