Lightning doesn't strike twice in football, unless you're Mikel Merino. Just four days after crushing Portuguese hearts in extra time, the Spanish midfielder stepped onto the turf at Los Angeles Stadium and basic duplication occurred.
Spain booked their spot in the semi-finals on Friday night, overcoming a valiant Belgium side 2-1. They didn't glide through; they crawled over the line on the back of a horrific goalkeeping error. Now, a massive heavyweight clash with tournament favorites France looms on Tuesday in Dallas. If you missed the chaotic energy of this quarter-final, you missed the definitive end of an era.
The Tragic Injury That Changed Everything
You have to feel for Senne Lammens. The 23-year-old backup goalkeeper was thrown into the highest-stakes match of his life in the 71st minute. Thibaut Courtois, who had been keeping Belgium alive with spectacular saves against Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal, slumped to the grass with an injury.
When Pau Cubarsí launched a speculative, bouncing long-range effort in the 88th minute, it looked harmless. It wasn't hit hard. But the awkward bounce fooled Lammens. He spilled the ball right into the six-yard box.
Merino, introduced just two minutes prior by manager Luis de la Fuente, didn't hesitate. He anticipated the error, pounced on the loose ball, and poked it home. It was his second touch of the game. Two goals in consecutive knockout games for a depth player is pure absurdity.
"I've done this again, and it's happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists," a smiling Merino said afterward.
Tactical Chess and the Death of the Golden Generation
Rudi Garcia had a tactical nightmare before the whistle even blew. Already missing Amadou Onana due to a torn ACL from the previous round, Garcia lost Youri Tielemans to an injury during the pre-match warm-up. He was forced to construct a makeshift midfield featuring Nicolas Raskin and Hans Vanaken.
Despite the chaos, Belgium didn't roll over. Jérémy Doku terrorized Pedro Porro down the left flank early on, exploiting the space left behind when Yamal pushed forward.
Spain broke the deadlock first. In the 30th minute, Fabián Ruiz reacted quickest to a rebounded shot, drilling it past Courtois. Instead of crumbling, the Belgians fought back. Just before halftime, Charles De Ketelaere leveled the score, capitalizing on a rare defensive lapse from Aymeric Laporte. It was the very first goal Spain conceded in this tournament.
Garcia went for broke in the 60th minute, introducing Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel, and Joaquin Seys in a massive triple substitution. They matched Spain punch for punch until Courtois' body gave out.
With veterans like Kevin De Bruyne and Witsel picking up late yellow cards out of pure frustration, this match felt like the definitive end for Belgium’s iconic generation. They pushed a superior Spanish side to the absolute limit but ran out of luck and healthy bodies.
Next Steps for Football Fans
The tournament doesn't pause to breathe. Turn your attention to Tuesday's massive semi-final between Spain and France.
- Keep an eye on squad fitness reports out of the Spanish camp; containing Kylian Mbappé will require a flawless performance from Laporte and Cubarsí.
- Watch how De la Fuente balances his starting lineup. Merino has earned the super-sub tag, but calls to start him over Fabián Ruiz are growing louder.
