Los Angeles, July 11: Spain are through to the FIFA World Cup semifinals, but Belgium made them work far harder than many expected. A 2-1 victory sent Luis de la Fuente’s side into a last-four meeting with France, yet the scoreline only tells part of the story. Spain dominated possession and dictated the tempo, but Belgium stayed organised, absorbed pressure and nearly forced extra time before a late defensive lapse proved costly.
Spain looked comfortable from the opening whistle. Rodri and Fabián Ruiz controlled midfield, while Lamine Yamal repeatedly tested Belgium’s back line with his pace and movement. The breakthrough came after half an hour when Ruiz finished off a slick passing move. It was the kind of goal that reflected Spain’s identity, a patient build-up followed by a precise finish.
Belgium responded impressively instead of retreating. Charles De Ketelaere headed home from a Timothy Castagne cross just before halftime, handing Spain their first setback after a string of clean sheets in the tournament. The equaliser also exposed a rare weakness in Spain’s defence, which had looked nearly untouchable until then.
The second half turned into a tactical contest rather than an open battle. Spain continued to enjoy most of the ball, but Belgium defended compactly and waited for chances to break through with Jeremy Doku and Romelu Lukaku. Spain created opportunities without finding the final touch, while Belgium looked increasingly confident that extra time was within reach.
The decisive moment arrived in the closing stages. Belgium suffered a major blow when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois left the field injured. His replacement, Senne Lammens, made a couple of fine saves but could not prevent Mikel Merino from scoring the winner in the 88th minute after reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area.
Spain’s victory was deserved, though not as convincing as previous wins. Their midfield once again controlled the game, but Belgium showed that disciplined defending and quick transitions can trouble even the tournament favourites. Spain also learned that dominating possession does not always guarantee comfort in knockout football. Against France in the semifinal, they will need to be sharper in front of goal and more alert when defending crosses.
England Vs Norway
Attention now shifts to another fascinating quarterfinal between Norway and England. Norway have emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprises after knocking out Brazil. Erling Haaland remains their biggest threat, while Martin Ødegaard has quietly controlled matches from midfield with vision and composure.
England arrive with greater tournament experience and a squad packed with depth. They edged past Mexico in the previous round and have shown an ability to manage tense knockout matches. The battle between England’s structured defence and Norway’s direct attack could decide the contest. If England can limit Haaland’s influence, they will fancy their chances. If Norway finds space on the counter, another upset could be on the cards. Either way, the final quarterfinal promises another tense night before the World Cup reaches its last four.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment