Spain leave it late to book semifinal date with France

Spain secured a 2-1 victory over Belgium to advance to the World Cup semifinals, where they will face France. Substitute Mikel Merino scored the winning goal in the 88th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens fumbled a shot. Merino's late heroics followed his decisive goal in Spain's previous match against Portugal. Spain had taken the lead in the 30th minute through Fabian Ruiz, but Belgium equalized in the 41st minute with a header from Charles De Ketelaere, ending Spain's clean sheet streak. The Belgian goalkeeper Lammens was introduced in the 71st minute due to an injury to Thibaut Courtois.

Belgium has shifted its focus from celebrating a dominant 4-1 victory over the United States in the World Cup round of 16 to preparing for a quarterfinal match against undefeated Spain. Following their win, which included a viral celebratory dance, the Belgian team is now training intensely in the Los Angeles area. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois expressed increased confidence after their performance against the US, noting the team's strong offensive and defensive play. Belgium also moved its training site due to dissatisfaction with the assigned fields. The team, which has shown resilience in its tournament run, views the upcoming match against Spain as its toughest challenge yet, drawing parallels to a past upset victory over Brazil.

Spain, currently unbeaten and without conceding a goal in the World Cup, faces a strong Belgium team in the quarterfinals. Spain has maintained a remarkable 36-match competitive unbeaten streak since March 2023, with their defense, led by goalkeeper Unai Simón, being a key strength. Belgium, on an 18-match unbeaten run, is looking to capitalize on their "golden generation" of stars for a potential spectacular performance. Despite Spain being a pre-tournament favorite and reigning European champions, Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois acknowledges Spain as the favorite but believes in his team's chances, especially after a dominant 4-1 victory in the round of 16. The match is set to take place at SoFi Stadium.