World Cup Yesterday: Spain Edge Belgium Late as Merino Sends La Roja Into the Semifinals

Yesterday’s World Cup action delivered one high-level knockout game, and it ended with Spain finding a late breakthrough to beat Belgium 2-1 and move into the semifinals.

At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Spain controlled long stretches of the match but still needed late drama to separate itself from a stubborn Belgian side. Fabian Ruiz gave Spain the lead in the 30th minute, Belgium answered through Charles De Ketelaere in the 41st, and with extra time looming, Mikel Merino struck in the 88th minute to send Spain through.

Spain started brightly and got paid

Spain’s early rhythm showed in its passing and territorial control. The breakthrough came when Ruiz found the net in the first half, rewarding a spell in which Spain looked calmer and more precise in possession. Belgium, however, stayed alive in the contest and punished a lapse before halftime, with De Ketelaere’s equaliser resetting the match and shifting the pressure back onto Spain.

Belgium stayed in it until the very end

For long stretches, Belgium looked capable of dragging the match into extra time. The equaliser gave the Belgians confidence, and their ability to absorb pressure kept the game finely balanced well into the second half. But Spain’s bench made the difference late, and Merino’s 88th-minute goal became the decisive moment of the night.

Why the result matters

This was not just a quarterfinal win — it was a statement about Spain’s composure in high-pressure moments. Belgium made the game uncomfortable, but Spain still found the decisive goal when the margins were smallest. That is often the difference between a talented side and a title-threatening one.

The win also sets up one of the biggest matches of the tournament: Spain against France in the semifinals. With France already through and Spain joining them after yesterday’s result, the World Cup now has a marquee European showdown that could feel like a final before the final.

TND takeaway

If you were looking for the key World Cup game played yesterday, this was it. Spain survived Belgium’s resistance, found a late hero in Merino, and kept its tournament alive with a 2-1 victory that pushed the competition one step closer to its defining finish.