Spain beat Belgium 2-1 and Luis de la Fuente is taking his side to Dallas for a World Cup semi-final. Three days on, the quarter-final at SoFi Stadium still reads like a lesson in patience, Spain refusing to deviate from their 4-2-3-1 until Mikel Merino settled it in the 88th minute.
De la Fuente kept faith with Pau Cubarsí next to Aymeric Laporte, Rodri anchoring alongside Fabián Ruiz, and Lamine Yamal wide on the right. Rudi García mirrored the shape, asking Timothy Castagne and Maxim De Cuyper to keep Spain’s wingers honest while Kevin De Bruyne drifted off Charles De Ketelaere. Spain’s control finally told in the 30th minute when Fabián Ruiz finished a move sparked by Rodri and Álex Baena pulling Belgium’s double pivot out of position.
Belgium needed a counter and produced one. Castagne raided beyond Marc Cucurella and squared for De Ketelaere to equalise in the 41st minute. Spain’s only wobble came moments later when Cubarsí, booked in the 43rd minute, needed Rodri to sweep in behind to steady the defence.
De la Fuente ordered a double change in the 55th minute, introducing Pedri for Ruiz and Ferran Torres for Baena to press higher on Brandon Mechele. García answered five minutes later by turning to Axel Witsel and Romelu Lukaku, but Belgium’s plan unraveled when Thibaut Courtois—already credited with four saves—was forced off in the 71st minute for Senne Lammens.
Spain sensed the momentum. Nico Williams entered in the 79th minute, and Dani Olmo ran the press until Merino replaced him in the 86th minute. Two minutes later the Real Sociedad midfielder settled matters, scoring in the 88th minute. De Bruyne’s 85th-minute yellow card was quickly followed by his withdrawal for Alexis Saelemaekers, while Laporte’s caution in the 90+3rd minute and Witsel’s in the 90+5th could not change the pattern. Belgium finished with five shots and an expected-goals total of 0.37, stifled by Rodri’s positioning and Cubarsí’s anticipation despite that first-half booking.
Stats:
- Spain 17 shots, eight on target
- Belgium five shots, two on target
- Possession: Spain 68 percent, Belgium 32 percent
- Expected goals: Spain 2.08, Belgium 0.37
- Corners: Spain five, Belgium one
Spain have now strung together five straight wins at this tournament, an unbeaten run that began in Group H and has rolled through the knockouts. Next up is France in Arlington, already previewed in Dallas Duel: France’s Counter Punch Meets Spain’s Possession Puzzle in World Cup Semi. De la Fuente will look for the right blend of Merino’s late-game punch and Pedri’s control, while Belgium head home with García facing questions about their lack of incision after Courtois’ injury-enforced exit.
