Merino pounces on Lammens howler to give Spain late quarter-final win over Belgium

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lamine-yamal/lAt3vEub/"]Luis de la Fuente[/a]’s men had arguably gone under the radar en route to a first WC quarter-final since lifting the trophy in 2010, and faced a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Red Devils[/a] team buoyed by eliminating co-hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/fuitL4CF/"]USA[/a] in the previous round.[/p][p]La Roja - ranked second in the world - represented a big step up in opposition, and it was therefore unsurprising that the Iberians were the ones forcing the issue early in the game. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodri/K0G8DB00/"]Rodri[/a]’s shot was blocked by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ngoy-nathan/x6Zak7to/"]Nathan Ngoy[/a], before Lamine Yamal sent a curling effort wide.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] were containing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] relatively well, but still fell a goal behind on the half-hour mark courtesy of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruiz-fabian/l6HSH2Uo/"]Fabian Ruiz[/a]’s first-ever WC strike. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/porro-pedro/nTebDzHC/"]Pedro Porro[/a]’s cross picked out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olmo-dani/2oVBOlPg/"]Dani Olmo[/a], whose initial shot was saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/courtois-thibaut/MVExOq3n/"]Thibaut Courtois[/a] before the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] midfielder fired home on the rebound.[/b][/p][image alt="Spain's Fabian Ruiz celebrates scoring their first goal" id="04f27bfd-114b-462b-8b75-12056500a7f0" credit-line="Reuters / Hannah Mckay" guid="b1250612-2a39-4978-a46d-d3e757bb1bc4" original-width="2006" original-height="1380" /][p]Spain looked to be in control of proceedings from that point, with Courtois denying Yamal from a free-kick, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grimaldo-alex/6cAIrW5Q/"]Rudi Garcia[/a]’s side restored parity against the run of play in the 41st minute.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-ketelaere-charles/2eOa3r1T/"]Charles De Ketelaere[/a] scored the first goal against Spain at these finals with a fine header from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/castagne-timothy/xYfOMcA5/"]Timothy Castagne[/a]’s cross, as a previously impenetrable defence was finally breached.[/b][/p][image alt="De Ketelaere's goal" id="8be6551b-6464-4ba8-9a93-a35eb8313900" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform (Daniel Cole / Reuters)" guid="e6b24223-0a40-446d-9587-64a19589023b" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]De la Fuente’s team were peppering around the Belgium box after the restart with their brand of tika-taka football in search of a second goal.[/p][p]Yamal was the heart of everything going forward, flashing a shot wide and forcing Courtois into another save.[/p][p]Belgium were waiting to strike on the counter-attack, and almost engineered a second goal of their own when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-cuyper-maxim/GGc6kPWT/"]Maxim De Cuyper[/a] hit the side-netting following a free-flowing move involving [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doku-jeremy/lMHcYK4f/"]Jeremy Doku[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-bruyne-kevin/MsPs6OI5/"]Kevin De Bruyne[/a].[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="340cec38-247c-4def-805d-3385f6650134" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="b7f088f2-f94d-487d-afed-5db5f2b7f412" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]It had been a fine performance between the sticks for Courtois, but the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] shot-stopper was visibly distraught after being withdrawn through injury and replaced by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a].[/p][p][b]The TV cameras then panned to Courtois in the 88th minute, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Merino[/a] scored for a second consecutive game after tapping in a loose ball from inside the six-yard box after Lammens parried [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cubarsi-pau/UgTrNwCF/"]Pau Cubarsi[/a]’s tame strike into the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] midfielder’s path.[/b][/p][image alt="Spain's Mikel Merino celebrates scoring their second goal" id="f5185842-c227-4afb-b9d0-8228236ebed0" credit-line="Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach" guid="0c018428-b060-4bfe-9dac-4aaff08e8774" original-width="5253" original-height="3411" /][p]It was a goal which sets up a semi-final clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] in Dallas next Tuesday, with De la Fuente becoming only the third head coach of a European nation to win each of his first seven knockout games at a major tournament.[/p][p]Meanwhile, this defeat dumped out an ageing Red Devils side, who saw their 18-match unbeaten run (W12, D6) ended in the most agonising of circumstances.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cubarsi-pau/UgTrNwCF/"]Pau Cubarsi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Flashscore's Man of the Match" id="fd46296d-9374-4e0c-a1d0-db858895a355" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="df7adf39-30ac-40db-8587-565b07a08970" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/belgium-GbB957na/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=MHGPEKi5"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p]