Friday, July 10 wrap — Merino decisive again as a Courtois injury tips the quarter-final

The second quarter-final delivered its verdict in Los Angeles: Spain saw off Belgium 2-1 to join France in the last four. It was a tight, cagey affair that La Roja finally cracked after a cruel twist, Thibaut Courtois’ injury, and thanks to a man who has made a habit of settling games late, Mikel Merino.

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Spain 2-1 Belgium — Merino punishes late once more

(Facts — sources: ESPN, The Analyst, FOX Sports.)

Spain took control of the ball from kick-off but spent a long time battering against a disciplined Belgian block. Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring on 30 minutes, before Charles De Ketelaere levelled just before the break (41’), heading home a Timothy Castagne cross. That goal ended a long defensive shut-out for La Roja, who hadn’t conceded in hours of football at this tournament.

The turning point came in the worst possible way for Belgium. Around the hour mark, Courtois pulled up injured on a clearance and had to leave the pitch in tears, replaced by his understudy Senne Lammens. Already weakened, Belgium had lost captain Youri Tielemans to an injury in the warm-up. The longer Spain pushed, the more likely the mistake became: on 88 minutes, Lammens spilled a long-range effort, and Mikel Merino, on the pitch only a few minutes, bundled it home. The exact same script as against Portugal four days earlier.

3 key numbers:

• 88’ — the minute of Merino’s winner, off the bench again.
• 71’ — Courtois’ injury exit, the real swing of the night.
• 2 — Merino’s winners in two ties running (Portugal then Belgium), both after the 80th minute.

Gunners spotlight: another decisive night for Mikel Merino, now clearly Spain’s late-game weapon. Behind him, David Raya (still Unai Simón’s deputy) and Martín Zubimendi are through to the semis without featuring. On the other side, Leandro Trossard had a quiet game and was taken off around the hour: Belgium go out in the quarters, and the Belgian Gunner’s tournament ends here.

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Bracket box — a France-Spain semi-final

(Source: official FIFA bracket, verified via World Soccer Talk / Yahoo Sports.)

Spain join France, already through after their win over Morocco, and the first semi-final is now set: France – Spain, Tuesday, July 14 in Arlington. For the third major tournament in a row, Les Bleus and La Roja meet in the last four. And the tie carries a special flavour for Arsenal fans, with William Saliba, marshalling the French back line, up against three of his club team-mates, Mikel Merino, David Raya and Martín Zubimendi .

The other semi-final is still to be decided. This weekend, two quarters will name the contenders: Norway – England on Saturday in Miami, captain Martin Ødegaard against the Saka, Rice, Eze and Madueke quartet, then Argentina – Switzerland overnight. Once again, Gunners scattered all over the draw.

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The GG take

(Opinion.)

Some nights a team does everything right and still loses. Belgium lived one. Without their captain before kick-off, they went toe to toe with Spain for an hour, until fate stepped in: losing your number one keeper to injury at the worst moment, then conceding the winner off his replacement’s error, that’s a rare kind of cruelty. No real complaints about the Red Devils.

On the other side, Spain confirm they’ve found a priceless profile for these locked-down endings: Mikel Merino. Two ties in a row, he came on and killed the game in the closing minutes. That’s no fluke, it’s a genuine sense of timing, that knack of being in the right place when everyone else is spent. For us, the reward is huge: a France-Spain semi-final, Saliba on one side and three Gunners on the other. Hard to dream up anything better when you love this club and this national team at once. See you Tuesday.

#CDM2026 #COYG