Los Angeles sees Mikel Merino’s late goal secure Spain’s World Cup semi-final spot

By Rohan Gupta — 10 July 2026 — 3 min read

Merino’s Decisive Contribution

Mikel Merino once again proved to be a pivotal figure for Spain, scoring a late goal that secured their place in the World Cup semi-finals. This marks another significant moment for Merino, who has a history of scoring crucial late goals in major tournaments. His latest heroics came in a match against Belgium, where he entered the game as a substitute and made an immediate impact.

The decisive goal occurred in the 88th minute. Merino capitalised on a rebound after Belgium’s substitute goalkeeper, Senne Lammens, fumbled a shot from Pau Cubarsí. Merino, who had been on the field for less than two minutes and had only one touch of the ball, powerfully struck the rebound into the net, giving Spain a 2-1 lead.

This goal followed his previous late strikes, including one in the 119th minute against Germany and another in the 91st minute against Portugal in the last-16 match, which Spain won 1-0. His consistent ability to score in critical moments has become a defining aspect of Spain’s campaign.

Match Dynamics and Belgium’s Challenges

The match saw Spain initially dominate, with Fabián Ruiz opening the scoring in the 30th minute. Ruiz’s goal came from a rebound after Thibaut Courtois, Belgium’s primary goalkeeper, parried a shot from Dani Olmo, who received the ball from Pedro Porro’s cut-back. This early lead seemed to set Spain on a comfortable path.

However, Belgium managed to equalise in the 41st minute through Charles De Ketelaere, who headed in a cross from Timothy Castagne. This goal marked the first time Spain had conceded in the entire World Cup, ending a record streak of 649 minutes without allowing a goal.

A significant turning point in the game was the injury to Thibaut Courtois, who was forced to leave the field in the 71st minute with an apparent thigh injury. His replacement, Senne Lammens, a Manchester United keeper, was then in goal for Merino’s winning strike. Belgium also saw Youri Tielemans removed from the starting XI before kick-off and Kevin De Bruyne eventually had to leave the field as well, highlighting the challenges they faced due to injuries.

Despite Belgium’s efforts to find an equaliser in the closing minutes, Aymeric Laporte cleared their best chance. Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, expressed his astonishment at Merino’s repeated heroics, suggesting a sense of destiny for his team after two consecutive late wins.

Spain’s Path to the Semi-Finals

Spain’s journey to the semi-finals has been marked by strong performances and crucial late interventions. The team’s dominance in possession and creation of opportunities were evident throughout the match against Belgium. Early in the game, Lamine Yamal’s smooth timing and perfect weighting led to a chance for Pedro Porro, who then set up Dani Olmo for the shot that led to Ruiz’s goal.

The second half also saw Spain creating chances, with Lamine Yamal having a low shot go wide and Courtois pushing away another of his attempts. Mikel Oyarzabal was also denied by Courtois. Despite these opportunities, Belgium’s resilience, particularly after Courtois’s injury, kept the game finely balanced until Merino’s late intervention.

Spain will now face France in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Dallas. This upcoming clash is anticipated to be a significant encounter, with France being considered a tournament favourite.

Source: theguardian.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter