Spain's Merino Scores 88th-Minute Winner to Reach Semis

Mikel Merino is making a habit of writing himself into World Cup history, and Spain couldn't be happier about it.

The Arsenal midfielder scored his second consecutive late winner off the bench on Friday, this time in the 88th minute against Belgium in Los Angeles. His goal sent Spain through to the World Cup semi-finals with a thrilling 2-1 victory that kept their championship dreams alive.

Spain controlled most of the match despite Belgium's injury troubles. The Red Devils lost captain Youri Tielemans to a hamstring injury during warmups and were already without Amadou Onana due to a ruptured ACL.

Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring on the half-hour mark after a brilliant buildup involving teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Pedro Porro. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois parried Dani Olmo's initial shot, but Ruiz was there to fire home the rebound.

Belgium refused to fold. Kevin De Bruyne threaded a perfect pass to Timothy Castagne in the 41st minute, and Charles De Ketelaere timed his run perfectly to head home the equalizer.

It was the first goal Spain had conceded all tournament, and it injected new life into the underdogs. Belgium nearly grabbed the lead before halftime when De Ketelaere found Doku breaking clear, but Olmo made a crucial interception.

The Bright Side

The drama intensified when Courtois left the field in tears after 70 minutes with an injury. His replacement, 24-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper Lammens, was about to make his World Cup debut in the most pressure-packed situation imaginable.

Just two minutes from time, young defender Pau Cubarsi fired a shot from distance that Lammens should have held. Instead, the ball squirmed free, and Merino pounced to smash home the winner.

For Merino, it was déjà vu. He'd scored the decisive goal against Portugal in stoppage time just four days earlier. Two games, two clutch moments, two reasons why Spain is heading to the semi-finals.

Belgium's aging "Golden Generation" stood motionless at the final whistle, their World Cup dream over. Meanwhile, Courtois emerged to embrace the devastated Lammens in a touching moment of sportsmanship.

Spain now prepares for a blockbuster semi-final clash with France, carrying the momentum of back-to-back dramatic victories and a bench player who keeps delivering when it matters most.