Inglewood, California (Web Desk): Spain booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals after Mikel Merino once again delivered from the bench, netting a dramatic 88th-minute winner to secure a thrilling 2-1 victory over Belgium in Friday's quarter-final in Inglewood, California.
The victory sets up a heavyweight semi-final against France in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday, with the winners advancing to the July 19 final. France are chasing a third successive appearance in the World Cup final after lifting the trophy in 2018 before falling to Argentina in a penalty shootout in the 2022 decider.
Merino continued his remarkable run as Spain's impact substitute. Having scored the decisive goal against Portugal in second-half stoppage time in the Round of 16 after spending less than six minutes on the pitch, the midfielder repeated the feat against Belgium.
Introduced in the 86th minute, he capitalised two minutes later when goalkeeper Senne Lammens failed to gather Pau Cubarsi's tame effort, smashing the loose ball into the net.
The triumph also carried Spain into the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since capturing their maiden world title in 2010.
Belgium's hopes suffered a major setback in the 71st minute when first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who had produced four important saves, was forced off with an apparent leg injury. Lammens replaced him but was unable to prevent Spain's decisive late strike.
Spain then survived an anxious finish as Aymeric Laporte produced a crucial goal-line clearance in the second minute of stoppage time after goalkeeper Unai Simon had been beaten.
La Roja had not conceded a single goal throughout their first five matches of the tournament, but Belgium managed to draw level before the interval after Fabian Ruiz had broken the deadlock.
Ruiz fired Spain in front in the 30th minute by converting the rebound after Dani Olmo's effort had been parried by Courtois. Belgium responded in the 41st minute when Charles De Ketelaere climbed above Cubarsi to head Timothy Castagne's cross beyond Simon.
Spain had threatened earlier through teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who turns 19 on Monday, but his 21st-minute effort drifted just wide of the left upright. Moments later, Pedro Porro delivered an inviting cross from the left, Olmo's first-time strike forced Courtois into a sharp save, and Ruiz was perfectly placed to slot home the rebound.
Belgium's equaliser came after Spain failed to clear their lines effectively, allowing Castagne to deliver a dangerous cross that De Ketelaere met with a powerful header.
The goal also brought an end to Simon's remarkable World Cup streak of 650 consecutive minutes without conceding, a run dating back to the 2022 tournament.
Yamal continued to test Belgium's defence, narrowly missing the target again before the break before seeing a long-range attempt kept out by Courtois around the hour mark.
At the opposite end, Kevin De Bruyne forced Simon into a save, while Courtois answered with another fine stop to deny Mikel Oyarzabal as both teams searched for a breakthrough before Merino's late intervention.
Belgium were dealt an early blow even before kick-off after captain Youri Tielemans picked up an undisclosed injury during the warm-up and was ruled out of the starting lineup. Hans Vanaken was drafted in as his replacement.
The defeat snapped Belgium's 18-match unbeaten run, while Spain stretched their own undefeated streak to a national-record 36 matches, leaving them just one game shy of Italy's international record of 37 set between 2018 and 2021.