Merino stars again to send Spain past Belgium and into FIFA World Cup semis
Mikel Merino scored a late goal to secure a 2-1 victory for Spain against Belgium in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals. This win advances Spain to the semifinals, where they are set to face tournament favorites France.
Why it matters
The result significantly impacts the trajectory of the World Cup, eliminating a strong Belgian side and setting up a high-stakes semifinal match.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Mikel Merino is Spain's World Cup hero once again, and even he finds it hard to believe.
A mere four days after Merino scored a clutch goal as a substitute in injury time to beat Portugal, he found himself in the right spot again in the quarterfinals when Belgium's backup goalkeeper spilled the ball into his path.
Merino booted it home in the 88th minute, sending Spain to a 2-1 victory Friday and into a titanic semifinal showdown with tournament favorite France.
“I’ve done this again, and it’s happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists,” a smiling Merino said. “If you’re ready and you try, I guess it can happen for you.”
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