Mikel Merino as soon as once more got here off the bench to maintain Spain‘s World Cup dream alive as he pounced on a Senne Lammens error to a seal a 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium.
The European champions had been heavy favourites in Los Angeles however had been made to work exhausting by Rudi Garcia’s aspect, who confirmed spectacular resilience to breach Spain’s aim for the primary time within the match.
Fabian Ruiz put Spain forward on the half-hour mark, just for Charles De Ketelaere head Belgium degree 11 minutes later.
An absorbing tie appeared set for additional time, however Spain had been gifted a spot in a blockbuster semi-final with France two minutes from the top of regular time.
Lammens, who changed the injured Thibaut Courtois within the 71st minute, failed to show a long-range effort from Pau Cubarsi away from hazard, and Merino was quickest to react.
The Arsenal man was the match-winner in stoppage time within the last-16 victory over Portugal and he made no mistake in tucking house the rebound to ship Spain to Dallas, the place match favourites France await in a mouthwatering conflict.
Merino repeats the feat as Spain depart it late once more
Belgium, who misplaced midfielder Youri Tielemans to harm within the warm-up, efficiently pissed off Spain for a lot of the early levels and supplied a risk by means of Manchester Metropolis star Jeremy Doku.
The truth that a Twenty first-minute Lamine Yamal effort that Courtois was capable of watch fly the publish represented Spain’s finest likelihood earlier than the hydration break was illustrative of Spain’s struggles in breaking Belgium down.
However they discovered a manner by means of as Pedro Porro was performed in by Yamal down the proper and pulled the ball again for Dani Olmo, whose close-range strike was repelled by Courtois, however solely so far as Ruiz as he turned house on the rebound.
Courtois then needed to get down low to maintain out a Yamal free-kick, with the Barcelona teenager then firing into the side-netting after slicing in from the proper in trademark trend.
And Spain had been punished for failing to double their lead by De Ketelaere, who as soon as once more displayed his ruthlessness in entrance of aim after scoring twice within the last-16 demolition of the USA.
Kevin De Bruyne performed in Timothy Castagne down the proper with a intelligent cross, and the Fulham full-back’s cross was transformed with a superb header from De Ketelaere.
Belgium noticed an opportunity to compete the turnaround go begging early within the second half as Maxim De Cuyper lashed into the side-netting after wonderful work down the left from Doku.
Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal had been each denied by Courtois, however the harm to the Actual Madrid goalkeeper proved the turning level.
Courtois left the sector in tears as what was possible his remaining World Cup recreation got here to a untimely finish, and Merino ensured the likes of De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku additionally mentioned farewell to the match by ruthlessly profiting from Lammens’ failure to gather Cubarsi’s drive.
