Two Rebounds Break Belgium Hearts as Spain Reach World Cup Semifinal

Two rebounds, two Spanish goals, and one painful World Cup exit for Belgium.

Fabián Ruiz reacted first when Thibaut Courtois parried Dani Olmo’s shot in the 30th minute. Almost an hour later, substitute Mikel Merino punished Senne Lammens after the replacement goalkeeper spilled Pau Cubarsí’s effort.

The circumstances carried a cruel symmetry for Belgium. Spain scored both goals from rebounds, with two different goalkeepers unable to remove the danger at decisive moments.

Merino’s 88th-minute finish gave Spain a dramatic 2-1 victory at Los Angeles Stadium and sent the reigning European champions into a FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal against France in Dallas.

Charles De Ketelaere had equalized for Belgium in the 41st minute. His header became the first goal Spain had conceded at this World Cup and ended La Roja’s 650-minute international shutout run.

For results, analysis, and the road to the final, follow The Sports Encounter’s FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage.

Spain vs Belgium Match Facts

Detail	Information
Match	Spain vs Belgium
Competition	FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal
Final score	Spain 2-1 Belgium
Venue	Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood
Spain scorers	Fabián Ruiz 30’, Mikel Merino 88’
Belgium scorer	Charles De Ketelaere 41’
Yellow cards	Cubarsí 43’, De Bruyne 85’, Laporte 90+4’, Witsel 90+5’
Red cards	None
Referee	Michael Oliver
Turning point	Courtois’ injury and Lammens’ late spill
Next match	Spain vs France, semifinal

Nothing Separates the Teams Early

The opening phase offered no clear separation between the two European sides.

Spain controlled more of the ball and tried to stretch Belgium through Lamine Yamal, but the Belgian defense held its shape through the first hydration break. Yamal made some progress on the right, using his close control and quick changes of direction to reach promising areas. None of those early moves produced a clear opening.

Belgium accepted Spain’s territorial control and looked for opportunities to attack the spaces left behind. Kevin De Bruyne tried to give the Red Devils composure in possession, while De Ketelaere and Jérémy Doku offered movement around Spain’s back line.

The match needed someone to break its careful rhythm. Ruiz supplied the answer in the 30th minute.

Fabián Ruiz Scores From the First Rebound

Spain’s opening goal came after another sustained attack forced Belgium toward its own net.

Pedro Porro combined with Yamal before delivering a low ball into the penalty area. Olmo struck it first time, forcing Courtois into a low save. The Belgian goalkeeper stopped the initial effort but could not push the ball away from danger.

Ruiz anticipated the rebound, reached it before Belgium’s defenders, and forced the loose ball over the line.

The midfielder’s alertness finally gave Spain a reward for their pressure. Belgium now faced the difficult task of chasing a team that had not conceded throughout the tournament.

Spain continued attacking after taking the lead. Yamal and his teammates put together another series of threatening moves, creating the sense that a second goal could place the quarterfinal beyond Belgium’s reach.

De Ketelaere changed that conversation four minutes before halftime.

De Ketelaere Scores First Goal Against Spain

Belgium equalized in the 41st minute when De Ketelaere met Timothy Castagne’s excellent cross and directed his header beyond Unai Simón.

De Bruyne started the move by finding Castagne at the right moment, while De Ketelaere moved ahead of Cubarsí to reach the delivery. Replays showed that Marc Cucurella had played the Belgian forward onside.

The goal ended Spain’s perfect defensive record at the 2026 World Cup. It also stopped an international shutout streak that had stretched to 650 minutes across the current tournament and previous fixtures.

Cubarsí received the first yellow card of the match in the 43rd minute. The Spanish defender grabbed De Bruyne’s shorts after going to ground while trying to prevent the Belgian captain from escaping.

Both teams entered halftime level at 1-1.

Belgium’s response showed why Spain coach Luis de la Fuente had called the Red Devils his team’s toughest challenge of the tournament. They absorbed pressure, stayed calm after falling behind, and punished Spain’s defense with a sharp transition.

That resilience had already shaped their campaign. Belgium recovered from two goals down to produce a remarkable extra-time comeback against Senegal before overpowering the hosts in a 4-1 Round of 16 win over the United States.

Yamal Creates Openings but Misses His Chances

Yamal remained Spain’s most persistent attacking threat after halftime.

The teenager repeatedly found his way into the penalty area, but several promising opportunities slipped away through a heavy touch, a blocked effort, or an inaccurate finish. Courtois denied him after Cubarsí played him through early in the second half and later saved another driven attempt.

Belgium struggled to stop Yamal from reaching dangerous positions, yet they prevented him from finding the decisive finish. His movement still affected the shape of the match by forcing the Belgian defense deeper and opening space for Spain’s midfielders.

De Bruyne entered referee Michael Oliver’s book in the 85th minute after wrestling Ferran Torres to the ground. The Belgian captain left the field immediately afterward, with Alexis Saelemaekers replacing him.

Extra time appeared increasingly likely. Spain’s substitutes then decided another knockout match.

Courtois Injury Changes Belgium’s Quarterfinal

Courtois suffered a thigh problem during the second half and left the field in the 71st minute. The visibly emotional goalkeeper took his place on the bench with an ice pack strapped to his left thigh.

Lammens entered under immediate pressure as Spain controlled possession and searched for openings around Belgium’s penalty area.

The goalkeeper initially handled several situations without difficulty. However, the match eventually returned to the same detail that had produced Spain’s opening goal: a rebound inside the penalty area.

Merino Punishes the Second Rebound

Cubarsí sent a bouncing shot toward goal in the 88th minute. Lammens failed to secure it, and Merino reacted before anyone else to place the rebound into the net.

The midfielder had replaced Olmo in the 86th minute and required barely two minutes to make the difference.

The finish carried an unmistakable irony for Belgium. Courtois had saved Olmo’s initial shot before Ruiz converted the first rebound. Lammens then stopped neither Cubarsí’s effort nor the danger that followed, allowing Merino to score from another loose ball.

Spain had spent much of the match trying to pass through Belgium’s defensive structure. In the end, alert reactions to two imperfect saves produced both goals.

Merino’s impact repeated the pattern from Spain’s late Round of 16 victory over Portugal, when he also came from the bench and scored the winner.

Four Yellow Cards but No Red Cards

Belgium pushed hard during seven minutes of added time, and the physical temperature rose as Spain protected their lead.

Laporte received Spain’s second yellow card at 90+4. One minute later, Witsel became the fourth and final player booked after arriving late on Rodri with his studs showing. Oliver decided the challenge warranted a yellow card rather than a red.

The verified disciplinary record showed four yellow cards:

• Pau Cubarsí, Spain, 43rd minute
• Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium, 85th minute
• Aymeric Laporte, Spain, 90+4
• Axel Witsel, Belgium, 90+5

No player received a red card.

Spain Set Up France Semifinal

Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Issa Rae, and Noel Gallagher were among the familiar faces watching from the stands, but Merino owned the closing scene.

Belgium’s campaign ended with the painful knowledge that two rebounds had separated them from a place in extra time. The defeat may also represent the final World Cup appearance for several members of their experienced generation.

Spain advance with growing evidence that their bench can decide close knockout contests. They will now face a French side that defeated Morocco 2-0 in the first World Cup quarterfinal.

France bring Kylian Mbappé and considerable attacking power. Spain carry control, patience, and Merino’s valuable habit of appearing exactly when a difficult match needs someone to settle it.

Official tournament fixtures and disciplinary information are available through FIFA’s World Cup 2026 portal.