Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium in a tightly contested quarterfinal match Friday at SoFi Stadium. The win sets up a highly anticipated semifinal showdown against France.
Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain in the first half, but Belgium equalized shortly after, marking the first goal Spain had conceded in the tournament. The decisive moment came late in the second half when substitute Mikel Merino scored the winning goal in the 88th minute.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente's strategic decisions, including starting Fabián Ruiz over the previously ever-present Pedri and bringing on Merino as a late substitute, proved instrumental. Ruiz scored the game's first goal after an early chance from Dani Olmo was saved by Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The rebound fell to Ruiz, who found the back of the net.
Belgium responded ten minutes later when Charles De Ketelaere headed in a cross, breaking Spain's streak of five consecutive clean sheets. This goal underscored Belgium's resurgent performance in the knockout stages after a less convincing group phase. The Belgian side, with Kevin De Bruyne returning to the starting lineup, displayed confidence and organization.
The match took a significant turn in the 70th minute when Courtois, widely considered one of the world's top goalkeepers, sustained an injury and was replaced by Senne Lammens. The substitution ultimately proved costly for Belgium.
In the 86th minute, de la Fuente introduced Merino, who quickly made an impact. Two minutes later, a driven shot from Spain's Pau Cubarsí was mishandled by Lammens, and Merino capitalized on the rebound to score the winning goal. This marked the second Spanish goal that came from a rebound off a Belgian goalkeeper's save.
The quarterfinal match was the last World Cup fixture held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, concluding the tournament's presence in Southern California. The event now shifts to Dallas and Atlanta for the semifinals, with the final scheduled for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Spain, the reigning European champions, will face France, the 2018 World Cup winners and 2022 runners-up, in a semifinal clash that many consider a preview of the final.