Spain reaches World Cup semi-finals after late goal against Belgium

Spain secured a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup following a 2-1 victory over Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium on July 10. Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute to break a deadlock after Fabian Ruiz had initially put Spain ahead in the first half. Charles de Ketelaere equalized for Belgium just before the break, capitalizing on a cross from Timothy Castagne. Despite dominating the match with a higher expected goals (xG) of 2.10 compared to 0.37 for Belgium, Spain struggled to convert their chances until Merino’s late intervention. Spain will now face France in the semi-finals on July 11.

• 9:30 PMYahoo Sports — Marc Cucurella’s Spain book semi-final spot with late win over Belgium