Spain Edge Past Belgium as Lammens Blunder Hands Merino the Spotlight
Inexplicable Lammens error costs Belgium as Spain – The European champions found themselves in a tense situation before securing victory, with Mikel Merino capitalizing on a critical mistake by Belgian substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The Arsenal midfielder’s decisive strike propelled Spain toward what promises to be an exciting Tuesday clash against tournament favorites France in Texas.
A Merino Moment Repeats Itself
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente clearly has no intention of leaving Mikel Merino on the sidelines for long. The midfielder has now been instrumental in two consecutive World Cup knockout victories, utilizing his powerful left foot on both occasions. Following his performance against Portugal in Dallas on Monday, Merino once again proved decisive under the California sun. His anticipation of the Belgian goalkeeper’s error allowed him to slot the ball into the top corner with just two minutes remaining, sending his nation into a compelling semi-final against fellow continental powerhouses France.
However, this outcome was far from certain for a resilient Belgian side. The pivotal moment arrived twenty minutes before the final whistle when Thibaut Courtois, widely regarded as one of the planet’s finest shot-stoppers, limped off visibly devastated after suffering a thigh problem. Man United’s Senne Lammens replaced him but immediately found himself at the center of attention. His failure to secure Pau Cubarsi’s powerful long-range attempt, followed by an inexplicable spill that gifted the ball directly to Merino, created an image that will define Belgium’s World Cup journey.
Spain’s Unbeaten Run Continues
Despite not being at their most convincing, Spain advanced to the next stage. Belgium will undoubtedly reflect on several promising opportunities created during the second half. Marking nearly sixteen years since the 2010 squad claimed glory in South Africa, this 2026 generation moved another step toward securing their country’s second World Cup title. The stage is now set for Kylian Mbappe and France’s formidable attacking unit to test Spain in the air-conditioned Dallas Stadium within four days.
Spain’s remarkable unbeaten streak now extends to thirty-six competitive matches. Although their impressive record of six hundred and fifty World Cup minutes without conceding came to an end, the team’s fundamental objectives for the summer remained firmly on track. As approximately seventy thousand spectators in Los Angeles—predominantly Spanish supporters—applauded their progress, the players appeared content with their advancement despite facing periods of vulnerability.
Historical Context Adds Weight to the Encounter
These two nations had not faced each other in over ten years. Spain entered the match unbeaten in eleven encounters against European opposition, a run dating back to a World Cup quarter-final penalty shootout loss in Puebla City, Mexico, four decades ago. Given the similarly sweltering weather conditions in Inglewood and the midday kickoff, could an underdog narrative emerge?
The significance of history may have influenced Belgium manager Rudi Garcia to recall key players Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne, who had been unexpectedly omitted from the starting eleven that eliminated the USA in the previous round. Unfortunately, the Belgians suffered another setback just twelve minutes before the opening whistle when captain Youri Tielemans damaged his hamstring during warm-up exercises.
Nevertheless, Belgium competed effectively in what is known as the first quarter of this World Cup format. Doku, whose recent tournament headlines centered on the amusing situation regarding his return home for the birth of his son, posed a persistent danger on counter-attacks, navigating through multiple defenders with ease. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal’s initial attempt, cutting inside onto his left foot after twenty minutes, sailed comfortably past the post. Yet complacency against Spain carries consequences. Thirty minutes into the contest, the Red Devils’ defensive concentration wavered, and they found themselves trailing.
Pedro Porro combined swiftly with Yamal on the right flank before delivering to Dani Olmo inside the penalty area. Courtois made a save, but could only parry the effort toward Fabian Ruiz, who was filling in for Pedri in midfield, allowing the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder to finish effortlessly. Given Courtois’s reputation, a better outcome was expected. Spain had not lost any of the forty-eight matches Ruiz had previously played in; it appeared La Roja were cruising toward victory.
Yamal continued to shine for the following ten minutes, evading Belgium left-back Maxim De Cuyper with ease and testing Courtois again with a free-kick that was palmed away. However, four minutes before halftime, Spain committed an unexpected error and surrendered a goal. Charles De Ketelaere found the net, with Timothy Castagne providing the assist.
