Spain capitalizes on late Belgium mistake, advances to World Cup semifinals

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Belgium became the first team to beat Spanish goalie Unai Simón on Friday. But they couldn’t beat his team, with second-half substitute Mikel Merino scoring in the 88th minute to lift Spain to a 2-1 victory in a World Cup quarterfinal before a sold-out crowd at SoFi Stadium.

The win, which extended Spain’s unbeaten streak to 36 games, sends the team on to Tuesday’s semifinal with France in Arlington, Texas. For Belgium, its first loss in 19 games ended its tournament.

“We are one of the teams everybody says has the potential for the final,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “We’re very aware of the potential of our (semifinal) opponent. We are very clear that we have the quality to beat France. … It will be a clash of giants.”

The turning point Friday came not on the pitch but on the Belgium bench, when coach Rudi Garcia sent backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens on for an injured Thibaut Courtois in the 71st minute.

The dropoff in talent wasn’t great – Lammens started 32 times for Manchester United this season – but the difference in experience was. Courtois was playing in his 21st World Cup game, second-most all time, and had been brilliant up to then against Spain, making four saves.

But just before the second-half hydration break, he dropped to the turf with a thigh injury that required attention from trainers. He tried to continue, but moments later Garcia made the change, with Courtois walking to the bench in tears.

Lammens stopped the first shot he faced, a low shot from close range by Pau Cubarsí in the 88th minute, but he couldn’t corral the ball and pushed the rebound right at Merino, who had come on less than two minutes earlier. His tap-in was his second winning goal in as many games for Spain.

“It’s a massive step for us, playing in a semifinal after 16 years,” Merino said. “I think this team has a very, very high ceiling. … Today, I think we deserved a little more, in terms of chances or goals, because we created a lot, but we got the win and, hopefully, next game we can see an even brighter Spain.”

The goal overcame a score from Belgium’s Charles De Keterlaere, who became the first player to score on Spain in this World Cup when he beat Simón with a spectacular goal late in the first half.

Not only has Spain given up the fewest goals in this tournament, it has given up the fewest shots as well. Before De Keterlaere, no one had come close to scoring against Simón since the final group-play game of the last World Cup.

But if La Roja, ranked third in the world by FIFA, had been an immovable object in this World Cup, Belgium had been an unstoppable force, scoring 12 times in its previous three games. Entering the quarterfinals, only France and Argentina had scored more often.

And no team had taken more shots than Belgium’s 107.

Spain struck first Friday, with Fabián Ruiz giving Simón a 1-0 lead with his first goal of the tournament in the 30th minute. The sequence started with Pedro Porro sending a cross into the box for Dani Olmo, whose shot was parried away by Courtois. But Ruiz pounced on the rebound and deflected a shot past defender Timothy Castagne and into the back of the net.

De Keterlaere matched that 11 minutes later, shielding Cubarsí with his body and one-hopping a Castagne cross past a flat-footed Simón for his third goal in two games, one Courtois reacted to by charging out of the his penalty area toward the Belgian bench, waving his gloved fists in celebration.

Belgium, ranked eighth in the world, was playing in the quarterfinals for the third time in four World Cups.

Spain, the reigning European champion, last advanced beyond the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2010, when it allowed just two goals en route to its only title.

“Everyone has been waiting for this match (Spain vs. France) to happen,” Spain’s Lamine Yamal said. “Spain and France are the best two teams in the World Cup. We are going to stand up to them.”