Spain Edges Belgium 2-1 to Reach World Cup 2026 Semifinals

Spain has advanced to the World Cup semifinals for the second time in their history, narrowly defeating Belgium 2-1 in a tense quarterfinal match. Substitute Mikel Merino once again proved to be the hero, scoring the decisive goal in the 88th minute, echoing his crucial contributions in previous knockout stage games.

The match, held in Los Angeles, saw an intense battle between Jérémy Doku and Lamine Yamal early on, with both players posing threats for their respective teams. While Doku initially gained the upper hand, Yamal grew into the game, leading to a back-and-forth contest. Spain dominated possession in the first half, with two shots saved by Belgium's goalkeeper Nathan Ngoy, while Doku and Yamal sought to inject more pace into the game.

Spain took the lead following a move initiated by Yamal, who drew defenders Doku and De Cuyper before passing to Pedro Porro. A subsequent pass to Dani Olmo and a saved shot by Thibaut Courtois eventually led to a goal, attributed to the tactical decisions of Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente. This goal, scored by Fabián Ruiz, seemed to relax Spain, perhaps too much.

Belgium found their equalizer through Charles De Ketelaere, who headed in a cross from Timothy Castagne. This goal broke Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simón's impressive World Cup record of 649 minutes without conceding. The equalizer set up a dramatic finish, with Spain ultimately finding the late winner through Merino, securing their place in the semifinals and moving past the ghosts of their 1986 World Cup campaign.