​INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Spain’s impressive run without conceding a goal finally met a hurdle, but not enough to derail the Spaniards. The World Cup clean-sheet streak, a defining hallmark of La Roja’s campaign, was broken by a precise header from Charles De Ketelaere, yet it did not derail Spain’s path to the semifinals. In a tense, tactical battle at SoFi Stadium, Belgium did manage to put a ball past Unai Simón, but it wasn’t enough to topple a relentless Spanish side that had suffocated opponents with its disciplined defense and relentless ball pressure.
The result sets up a semifinal meeting between Spain and France on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, a preview that promises more goals with Kylian Mbappé presumably lining up to test the Spanish back line—an assumption that seems safe given his injury concerns and demonstrated readiness. Spain advanced 2-1 in a match that lived up to the high stakes of the knockout stage, a game plan grounded in defense first and opportunistic finishing when it mattered most.
Two moments defined the Spaniards’ progress. The first came in the 88th minute when Mikel Merino, who had just been introduced from the bench, scored against Belgium’s substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens after Thibaut Courtois exited the field in the 72nd minute with a thigh injury. Courtois’ injury forced Belgium to reshuffle late, just as Spain’s plan clicked into place, and Merino’s timely strike justified coach Luis de la Fuente’s decision to bring him on in the late stages, a tactic he had employed successfully against Portugal in the Round of 16.
The second defining moment arrived in stoppage time. With Belgium pressing for a late equalizer and Spain’s goalkeeper temporarily out of position, a header looked destined for goal—until Aymeric Laporte cleared the danger with a decisive leg block, the ball subsequently falling into Simón’s grasp. It was a small slice of luck, perhaps, but one Spain paid for with its characteristic poise and organization, and Belgium’s coach, Roberto Garcia, acknowledged as much afterward. The setback of the warmups—captain Youri Tielemans sidelined by injury—added to Belgium’s day’s misfortune, but the performance nonetheless underscored that this was not a day for excuses.
Belgium did manage to accomplish what no other opponent had in this World Cup: scoring against Spain. That achievement mattered, even as Spain’s goalkeeper and back line continued their remarkable form. Simón and his defenders had carried a run of five straight shutouts and more than 650 scoreless minutes into this match, a record that spoke to Spain’s defensive efficiency. It’s one thing to stymie a Saudi Arabia or Portugal; denying a scoring threat of Belgium’s caliber required a different level of concentration and execution.
Spain’s ability to track runners, win the midfield battles, and close down space in their own half has been the unit’s signature throughout the tournament. On Friday, a moment of lapse—timed well by Timothy Castagne to release De Ketelaere—briefly threatened to unravel the established order, but the final result remained a testament to La Roja’s resilience. By the time the final whistle blew, Spain had secured a place in the semifinals, continuing a World Cup narrative shaped by suffocating defense, precise counterattacks, and a willingness to seize momentum in the late stages.
As for the broader storyline, Friday’s victory extended Spain’s own historical thread—one that has seen the team set standards with a string of clean sheets and a disciplined, methodical approach that makes them a formidable contender in any knockout round. France awaits in Arlington, a match that could well feature more than one goal if Mbappé is fit to contribute, adding another chapter to this ongoing South and Central American-European clash at the world’s most-watched tournament.