Spain Edges Belgium with Late Merino Winner to Set Up Semifinal Matchup with France
Mikel Merino once again delivered late-game heroics for Spain, scoring the go-ahead goal to secure a 2-1 victory over Belgium1234 on Friday, July 10, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The victory sends Spain to the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will face France in a blockbuster European clash.
Merino's late winner broke a 1-1 deadlock after Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere had scored an equalizer to cancel out Spain's initial advantage. La Roja managed to hold on through the final whistle to book their spot in the final four, continuing their impressive run following their Euro 2024 championship.
Spain is scheduled to face France (who defeated Morocco 2-0 on July 9) in the semifinals on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
"Mikel Merino scored another late winner for Spain to knock Belgium out of the 2026 World Cup and set up a mouthwatering semi-final... Spain are through to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and will meet France after they beat Belgium 2-1."
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An instance of Championship runs are built on surviving early opponent dominance to strike decisively late. — Spain absorbed Belgium's pressure and late equalizer to execute a surgical, late-game winner. ↩︎
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An instance of Championship favorites escape early-game deficits by letting opponents tire before striking late. — Spain overcame a resilient Belgium side by executing a decisive, late-game strike to advance in the tournament. ↩︎
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An instance of A champion's campaign is built on the tactical patience of striking late. — Spain advanced in the tournament due to their tactical patience in absorbing opponent pressure and striking decisively late. ↩︎
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An instance of Title-winning performances belong to tactical operations that withstand heavy opponent pressure to deliver decisive late strikes. — Spain survived early pressure and equalizers to execute a decisive late-game striking blow. ↩︎