Spain 2-1 Belgium: Mikel Merino is La Roja's hero once more as Arsenal man comes up trumps in knockout rounds

Mikel Merino scored a precocious victor arsenic Spain recorded a 2-1 triumph implicit Belgium successful the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup connected Friday.

Fabian Ruiz sent Spain up successful the 30th minute, but Belgium were level successful the 41st infinitesimal courtesy of an fantabulous header from Charles De Ketelaere.

It appeared that the lucifer would beryllium heading for extra-time, but Merino had different ideas, arsenic the super-sub came up with a 88th-minute victor to nonstop La Roja into the last four.

Merino struck a precocious victor disconnected the seat against Portugal successful the past circular and again proved his worthy connected Friday, with the Arsenal antheral the leader for the 2010 satellite champions.

Spain 2-1 Belgium: What conscionable happened?

Spain person acceptable up what is shaping up to beryllium a precise absorbing World Cup semi-final against France connected Tuesday courtesy of their constrictive occurrence implicit Belguim.

It did look that Spain would spell connected to go comfy winners erstwhile Ruiz made the breakthrough from adjacent scope successful the 30th minute.

However, the effect from Belgium was excellent, with De Ketelaere becoming the archetypal subordinate to people past Spain astatine this summer's World Cup.

A mistake from Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens played a large portion successful Spain's winner, with the substitute, who replaced the injured Thibaut Courtois, spilling a long-range onslaught from Pau Cubarsi - Merino was archetypal connected the country to convert.

On the equilibrium of play, it was a deserved triumph for Spain, but the mode of the decision was pugnacious connected Belgium, who worked truthful hard implicit the people of the match.

Spain 2-1 Belgium: The large talking point

Merino comes up trumps for Spain erstwhile again.

Courtois' substitution was a large stroke for Belgium, but Lammens is an fantabulous goalkeeper - arsenic helium proved astatine Man United past play - and Merino deserves immense recognition for pursuing Cubarsi's onslaught successful and yet converting into the backmost of the net.

Merino volition beryllium unhappy that helium was not called upon sooner, but the Arsenal attacker made it precocious winners successful back-to-back matches astatine this competition, having besides struck successful the past circular against Portugal to shatter Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dream.

Spain 2-1 Belgium: The bigger picture

Should Merino commencement against France successful the semi-final?

It would beryllium a astonishment to spot Spain caput manager Luis de la Fuente present Merino into his archetypal XI connected Tuesday, arsenic Mikel Oyarzabal is the starter done the middle.

Dani Olmo was fantabulous successful midfield against Belgium, portion Rodri volition besides start, truthful it is pugnacious to spot Merino featuring successful the archetypal XI against France.

However, the 30-year-old could beryllium fixed the accidental to determine the lucifer precocious connected erstwhile again, and it would not beryllium a daze to spot him instrumentality the opportunity.