LOS ANGELES.- Another magic trick Mikel Merino when the game died (88′), like in the round of 16 against Portugal (1-0), gave victory this Friday to Spain in view of Belgium by 2-1 in Los Angelesto meet in the semi-finals with Franceon Tuesday in Dallas.
Fabian Ruiz had overtaken Spain after half an hour of play and Charles De Ketelaere They equalized before the break (40+1′), with the first goal conceded by La Roja in the tournament.
In the 71st minute, the Red Devils lost their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtoisoutstanding until then, due to an injury to his left thigh. replaced him Senne Lammens.
The rejection of the newcomer, after a shot from Pau Cubarsiserved for Merino to score the goal to advance to the semifinals.
La Roja will play on Tuesday, in Dallas, for a place in the final against the current runner-up France.
It will be the second semifinal in its history after the 2010 World Cup, when it ended up lifting its only World Cup.
The effectiveness of Lamine
The landscape of the match was set immediately: Spain and its usual possession vaccine against the Red Devils who started without their captain Youri Tielemans due to an injury in warm-up and that they were only scary with the slaloms of Jeremy Doku.
In the first section it was Lamine Yamal the one who had the ball to make it 1-0 when he received after immediate recovery and curved his shot too much from the edge of the area (21′).
Three days after turning 19, the Spanish genius showed throughout the duel that he needs to improve his efficiency to sit at the table of the greats, although his street football of feints and dribbles fell in love with a Sofia Stadium surrendered to his talent.
Fabián agrees with De la Fuente
After half an hour the Spanish ‘break’ arrived. In a textbook play, Pedro Porro He combined with Lamine on the right before centering and his poisonous pass finished it off. Dani Olmo. Courtois’ rebound was converted by Ruiz.
The only change in the eleven with respect to the suffered 1-0 victory against Portugal in the round of 16, the two-time European champion with the PSG played for Pedri and agreed with Luis de la Fuentethat everything he touches in this tournament turns into gold.
The goal gave a march to the champion of Europe. The ‘Olés’ and the ‘Ohhh’ began to link up in the last match of the World in Los Angeles, with Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem -t-shirt Borja Iglesias-, Penelope Cruz and half of Oasis, Noel Gallaghergiving shine to the stands.
The streak is over
And when Spain was at its best, Belgium was finally able to string together several passes and found De Ketelaere, who gained the position by Pau Cubarsi to score header.
Untouchable until that moment, Spain received its seventh shot on target in the tournament and its first goal after five and a half games.
Without having made a stop in the game, Unai Simon He saw his streak of 650 minutes without conceding a goal come to an end, the best in the history of the World Cup.
Boos to Lukaku
Almost at the hour mark, the battle moved from the grass to the benches with a double Spanish substitution, Ferran Torres and Pedri by Alex Baena and Fabian Ruizand triple Belgian.
He entered the field Romelu Lukakubooed by the stands when he became the symbol of the 4-1 victory in the previous round against USAwith a characteristic dance of the American president donald trump included when scoring the last goal.
When Courtois shone the most in the face of Spanish harassment, fate had an injury in store for him in his left thigh. Through tears he gave up his place to Lammens (71′).
A rejection by the goalkeeper Manchester United Merino, a hero already against Portugal (1-0, 90+1′), took advantage of it to score when he had only been on the field for two minutes.
