Spain shrugs off allowing its first goal at 2026 World Cup to reach semifinals
Spain advanced to the 2026 World Cup semifinals after a 2-1 victory over Belgium, secured by a late goal from substitute Mikel Merino. This marks Spain's first semifinal appearance in the tournament since their previous historic run.
Why it matters
The match highlights the competitive nature of the 2026 World Cup and the impact of depth players in high-stakes international sports.
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.
Standard sports reporting focusing on match events and player quotes.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in