Spain edges Belgium with late goal to reach World Cup semifinals

Spain has advanced to the World Cup semi-finals after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgium, thanks to a late goal from substitute Mikel Merino. The Spanish team, dreaming of a second World Cup title, overcame a resilient Belgian side in Los Angeles.

Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain in the 30th minute, converting a rebound after Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved Dani Olmo's shot. However, Belgium equalized in the 41st minute through Charles De Ketelaere, who headed home a cross, ending Spain's impressive run of 650 minutes without conceding a goal in the tournament. The equalizer came shortly after another near miss from Spanish star Lamine Yamal.

Despite their dominance, Spain faced significant challenges. Courtois, who had made several saves, was substituted in the 71st minute due to injury, replaced by Senne Lammens. In the closing minutes of the match, Lammens made a crucial error, spilling a shot from Pau Cubarsi, which Merino seized upon to score the winning goal in the 88th minute.

Spain will now meet France in the semi-finals on Tuesday. The French team is seeking a third consecutive trip to the final, having won in 2018 and lost on penalties four years later. The match against Belgium highlighted Spain's offensive capabilities but also exposed vulnerabilities that France will likely seek to exploit.