Merino Strikes Again! Late Drama Sends Spain Past Belgium Into the Semifinals

Lightning has struck twice for Mikel Merino and the Spanish national team. In an absolute classic at the Los Angeles Stadium, Spain secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Belgium to punch their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals. Just when it looked like the match was destined for a grueling extra-time period, the Arsenal midfielder turned hero yet again, pouncing on a late rebound to send La Roja into a colossal final-four showdown with France.

Match Snapshot: Spain vs. Belgium

Match Event	Player Involved	Time	Match Impact
Goal (ESP)	Fabián Ruiz	30'	Spain opens the scoring from close range.
Goal (BEL)	Charles De Ketelaere	41'	Belgium equalizes with a powerful header.
Injury (BEL)	Thibaut Courtois	71'	Belgium's star keeper forced off; Lammens enters.
Goal (ESP)	Mikel Merino	88'	Match-winning strike from a parried shot.

How the Drama Unfolded in Los Angeles

Spain dictating possession has been the blueprint of their summer, and the opening half-hour followed the script perfectly. In the 30th minute, a brilliant cross-field sequence found Dani Olmo. Thibaut Courtois pulled off a magnificent initial save, but an alert Fabián Ruiz blasted the loose ball into the roof of the net to break the deadlock.

However, Belgium refused to back down. Just before the interval, against the run of play, Timothy Castagne sent a looping, inviting cross into the box. Charles De Ketelaere outmuscled Pau Cubarsí, powering a historic header past Unai Simón. Historic, because it marked the first goal Spain has conceded in the entire tournament after more than 10 hours of flawless defense.

The second half turned into a tactical chess match, heavily altered in the 71st minute when Courtois was forced off with an apparent injury. Spain relentlessly knocked on the door until the 88th minute. Young defender Pau Cubarsi unleashed a venomous 25-yard strike that backup keeper Senne Lammens could only parry. Reacting fastest, Mikel Merino thumped the rebound home to send the Spanish support into pure ecstasy.

Key Takeaways from the Quarterfinal

The Rebound King: Mikel Merino is rapidly building a reputation as Spain's ultimate clutch savior, echoing his legendary late exploits from Euro 2024.

A Costly Injury blow: Belgium fought valiantly, but losing Courtois in the final 20 minutes destabilized their defensive low-block at the worst possible moment.

The Fortress Breached: Spain's perfect clean-sheet streak has officially ended, but their mental resilience to regroup after conceding proves they have the grit of true world champions.

The Road to Dallas

With the Red Devils officially sent home, Luis de la Fuente’s squad can turn their full attention to the ultimate European rematch.

Semifinal Match Details: Spain vs. France will take place live from Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, July 14 (19:00 GMT). The winner will punch their ticket straight to the World Cup Final.

Can Spain’s possession mastery handle the blistering pace of Kylian Mbappé and France in the semifinals, or will La Roja's journey end in Dallas?