Spain 2-1 Belgium: Mikel Merino the matchwinner as European champions progress into World Cup semi-finals | OneFootball

Arsenal star scored on late on to book France semi-final

Mikel Merino netted the winner late on as Spain eked out Belgium 2-1 to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

The European champions were the better of the two sides at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, but they were troubled at times by the pace of Jeremy Doku and the ingenuity of the returning Kevin De Bruyne.

Fabian Ruiz, who had controversially replaced Pedri in the Spanish midfield, opened the scoring in the first half, gobbling up a rebound from a Dani Olmo shot that Thibaut Courtois had spilled.

The Red Devils were level, though, as Charles De Ketalaere, the AC Milan man, got ahead of his man at the near post to glance beyond Unai Simon and score the first goal past Spain at this summer’s tournament.

In tears: Thibaut Courtois

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Lamine Yamal tested Courtois while top scorer Mikel Oyarzabal was quiet throughout, but Luis de la Fuente threw on his trusty supersub Merino, who bundled home three minutes from time to send Spain into the last four, where they will take on France, who defeated Morocco 2-0 on Thursday.

There was a serious injury blow for Belgium as Courtois was forced off with what appeared to be an injury to his left thigh, and the Real Madrid goalkeeper was replaced by Manchester United’s first-choice shot-stopper Senne Lammens, making his first appearance at this year’s World Cup.

It was not to be a good afternoon for Lammens, however, as he parried Pau Cubarsi’s long-range effort right into the path of the incoming Merino, who tucked the ball away to cue bedlam among the Spaniards in the SoFi.