Mikel Merino came off the bench again to save Spain, scoring the go-ahead goal in the 88th minute of La Roja’s 2-1 loss to Belgium in the World Cup quarterfinals in Inglewood, California, on Friday.
A spot in the July 19 final will be at stake when Spain faces France in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday. The French are seeking a third straight trip to the final, having won in 2018 before losing on penalties to Argentina four years ago.
Merino, who was on the field for less than six minutes before scoring the winning goal in second-half stoppage time against Portugal in the round of 16 on Monday, came on in the 86th minute and grabbed a rebound after substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens wasted a soft shot by Pau Cubarsi.
Mikel Merino came off the bench again to save Spain, scoring the go-ahead goal in the 88th minute to defeat Belgium 2-1 in the World Cup quarterfinals in Inglewood, California, on Friday.
A spot in the July 19 final will be at stake when Spain faces France in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday. The French are seeking a third straight trip to the final, having won in 2018 before losing on penalties to Argentina four years ago.
Spain returns to the semifinals for the first time since winning its only World Cup in 2010.
Merino, who was on the field for less than six minutes before scoring the winning goal in second-half stoppage time against Portugal in the round of 16 on Monday, came on in the 86th minute and grabbed a rebound after substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens wasted a soft shot by Pau Cubarsi.
Lammens replaced the injured Thibaut Courtois (four saves) in the 71st minute when he was unable to play due to an apparent leg injury.
In the second minute of added time in the second half, Spanish defender Aymeric Laporte rescued goalkeeper Unai Simón with a clearance in front of the goal.
Spain had not conceded a goal in the tournament in five games, but found itself tied 1-1 at half-time.
Fabián Ruiz put Spain ahead in the 30th minute with a rebound from a shot by Dani Olmo, but a header from Charles De Ketelaere in the 41st minute was the tie.
Spain almost opened the scoring in the 21st, but a shot by star Lamine Yamal, who turns 19 on Monday, went wide of the left post and the lead came shortly after.
Pedro Poro’s cross from the left wing was finished off by Olmo in the center of the area, forcing Courtois to stop with his right foot.
Ruiz, who advanced in midfield over Barcelona’s Pedri, was in perfect position for the shot.
La Roja allowed Belgium to get back into the game with an unusually poor clearance and Timothy Castagne sent a cross from the right to De Ketelaere, who positioned himself inside Cubarsi and drove the ball past Unai Simon.
The goal ended Simon’s record World Cup streak without conceding a goal in 650 minutes dating back to the 2022 World Cup.
The goal came a minute after Yamal again missed from distance, this time hitting the right post.
The scoring broke wide open briefly on the hour mark when Spaniard Lamine Yamal, who had narrowly missed the goal twice, had a shot from outside the area saved by Courtois.
At the other end, Kevin De Bruyne’s shot was saved before Spain responded and Courtois denied Mikel Oyarzabal at the right post.
Belgian captain and midfielder Youri Tielemans suffered an undisclosed injury during warm-ups and was removed from the starting lineup. Hans Vanaken replaced him.
Belgium ended its 18-game unbeaten streak, while Spain extended its own unbeaten streak to a team-record 36, one shy of the record of 37 set by Italy between 2018 and 2021.
