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•Dumps Belgium out
Spain booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after edging Belgium 2-1 in a thrilling quarter-final clash at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday.
Fabian Ruiz and Mikel Merino were on target for La Roja, while Charles De Ketelaere scored Belgium’s lone goal as Spain secured a last-four showdown with France.
Ruiz handed Spain the lead in the 30th minute after the Spaniards dominated possession and dictated the tempo of the game. Belgium responded 11 minutes later through De Ketelaere, who restored parity before the break.
With extra time looming, Merino emerged the hero by netting the decisive goal in the 88th minute to seal Spain’s passage to the semi-finals.
Spain controlled much of the encounter, enjoying 68 per cent possession, registering 18 shots compared to Belgium’s five, and completing 91 per cent of their passes.
The victory extended Spain’s unbeaten run at the tournament following their 1-0 Round of 16 win over Portugal.
Spain will now face France in the semi-finals on Tuesday, July 14, after Les Bleus advanced by defeating Morocco.
