Spain beats Belgium 2-1 to set up World Cup semifinal clash with France

European champions Spain have advanced to the World Cup semifinals after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgium. The highly anticipated match, set to take place on Tuesday, pits Spain against France in what is being called a "World Cup final before the final."

Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain in the 30th minute, with Mikel Merino sealing the win in the 88th minute. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Spain faced a resilient Belgian side. Belgium managed to equalize before halftime through Charles De Ketelaere in the 41st minute, ending Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón's record streak of 649 minutes without conceding a goal in the tournament.

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It is the character of this team. It is an honor to train a team that shows such dedication and constantly wants to improve.

Spain's coach, Luis de la Fuente, praised his team's character and commitment. "It is an honor to train a team that shows such dedication and constantly wants to improve," he stated after the match. He expressed confidence in their ability to defeat France, emphasizing that "it is perfectly legitimate to believe that we can beat France. We will work hard for it. A great team will meet another great team."

The match saw Spain dominate play, particularly after the first water break, while Belgium focused on a disciplined defense. Although Belgium equalized against the run of play, Spain ultimately found the decisive goal. The semifinals will also feature Argentina, potentially setting up a final that could prevent a European champion from winning the tournament.

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It is perfectly legitimate to believe that we can beat France. We will work hard for it. A great team will meet another great team.