Spain booked a World Cup semi-final place after a tense 2-1 win over Belgium, decided by an 87th-minute strike from Merino. The late goal extended Spain’s unbeaten run to 36 games and pushed them into the last four, where they join Argentina, France and England in the semi-final lineup.
The quarter-final clash swung on a few key moments. Belgium’s so-called golden generation saw their campaign end despite an early equaliser from De Ketelaere, which had briefly pulled them back into the contest. Spain’s attack maintained enough threat over the ninety minutes to reach their goal tally from the 1986 tournament, underlining a consistent scoring output across this campaign.
Merino’s composed finish in the closing minutes immediately triggered strong reaction around the tournament, as attention turned to Spain’s long unbeaten sequence and their push for the title. Debate now centres on how far this run can be stretched in the semi-finals and what the exit of Belgium’s core group means for their future on the biggest stage.
