Spain advance to World Cup semi-finals after late Mikel Merino goal
Spain have secured their place in the World Cup semi-finals, defeating Belgium 2-1, with Mikel Merino once again emerging as a decisive scorer. The Arsenal midfielder came off the bench for the second consecutive match to net the winning goal, propelling the European champions into the tournament’s last four. This marks only the second time Spain has reached this stage of the World Cup, with their previous appearance in 2010 culminating in them lifting the trophy.
Merino’s latest heroics set up a semi-final clash against France. The match will also feature a highly anticipated encounter between Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, though the latter has yet to make a significant impact in this World Cup compared to his performances in the Euro 2024 campaign.
Merino’s impact from the bench
Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute, capitalising on a rebound from Belgium‘s backup goalkeeper, Senne Lammens. Merino entered the game in the 86th minute and scored with his second touch, pouncing after Lammens spilled a shot from Pau Cubarsi from outside the area. This late goal secured Spain‘s 2-1 victory.
The Arsenal player had previously scored as a substitute in injury time to seal Spain‘s 1-0 win over Portugal in the last-16. His ability to make an impact from the bench has been crucial for Spain‘s progression in the tournament.
Lammens, a Manchester United goalkeeper, was brought into the match in the 71st minute after Belgium‘s long-standing goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, left the field due to an apparent thigh injury.
Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain in the 30th minute. His goal came after Courtois parried a shot from Dani Olmo, following a cut-back from Pedro Porro on the right side of the box. However, Belgium‘s Charles De Ketelaere scored their first goal of the tournament in the 41st minute, ending Spain‘s record streak of 649 minutes without conceding a goal at the World Cup. His header came from a cross by Timothy Castagne.
Belgium pressed for an equaliser in the final minutes, but Aymeric Laporte cleared their best opportunity out of the box.
Overcoming injury and proving his worth
Just a few months ago, Mikel Merino‘s participation in the World Cup was uncertain. In January, he sustained an unusual foot injury—a stress fracture in an area that even specialists had not encountered before. This injury not only sidelined him from playing for Arsenal but also cast significant doubt on his World Cup aspirations, as he was unable to return to action for the Gunners until a month before the tournament began.
Despite these setbacks, Merino not only recovered and earned his spot in the Spain squad but has also proven to be a valuable asset in their journey to the semi-finals. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente praised Merino after the quarter-final win, stating, “Mikel is incredible. He has many qualities. He is a player that across the whole World Cup could have played in whatever team and done great. For us he is the standard of this idea, of this model. It is a pleasure to have him, and others but especially him. We know that without fail he is always there.”
Merino himself reflected on his journey, saying after the Portugal win, “The fact of being here a few months ago was unthinkable. Now I am, as I said before, at the highest point, enjoying one of the happiest moments of my career. Now I remember all those bad moments, all the people who have supported me, all the people who have pushed me when even I sometimes found it difficult to believe I could be here.”
His knack for scoring crucial goals is familiar to Arsenal fans. Traditionally a midfielder, his height has led Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to utilise him as a striker. He notably scored twice against Leicester in a 2-0 win in February last year, coming off the bench in that role. Former England striker Wayne Rooney commented on Match of the Day that “Merino is just one of those players who arrives at the right time, at the right moment in big games.” De la Fuente added that Merino “can be the best striker and the best midfielder because of his understanding of the game. He interprets the game perfectly. He is committed, he is generous, he is happy to do the work.”
Yamal’s tournament contribution
While players like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, and Erling Haaland have been prominent figures in this World Cup, Spain and Barcelona‘s teenage star, Lamine Yamal, has not yet reached the same level of performance seen during the national team’s successful Euro 2024 campaign. Yamal has played six games in this World Cup and scored one goal.
Despite not consistently finding the net, Yamal contributes to the team through his dribbling and pace, which create space for teammates like Merino. Wayne Rooney noted that even “Lionel Messi [makes] the wrong decisions at times,” and reminded that Yamal “came into this tournament injured, so he is still finding his rhythm in the game.” Rooney further explained that Yamal is effective because “when he takes the ball, he attracts players towards him, and he creates space for his team-mates.”
Spain‘s defence has been strong, with Belgium‘s goal being the first they conceded in this World Cup. However, their backline will face a significant challenge against a high-scoring France team led by Mbappe. Former Spain defender Cesar Azpilicueta stated, “What gives me confidence is Spain control the game and recover the ball quite quickly. You don’t see them at any point collapse and not knowing what to do.” He also noted that while Yamal’s game “has not transferred into goals or assists, but he is very influential in Spain‘s game.” The semi-final against France is scheduled for Tuesday in Dallas.
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Source: bbc.com
Reuben Castle is the Sports News Writer at News GB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from print into digital sport news. He holds a degree in Journalism from Coventry University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Coventry, he follows the Open Championship and amateur boxing. “Accuracy first; the analysis can follow.”
