Spain secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium on Friday after substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner to send Luis de la Fuente’s side into the FIFA World Cup semifinals, where they will face France in Dallas on Tuesday.

The European champions appeared destined for extra time before Merino capitalised on a goalkeeping error in the closing minutes to keep Spain’s title hopes alive.

Spain started brightly and took control of possession from the opening stages. Their pressure paid off in the 30th minute when Fabián Ruiz reacted quickest after Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved an initial effort. The midfielder calmly slotted the rebound into the net to give Spain a deserved lead.

Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal remained a constant threat down the right wing, creating problems for Belgium’s defence with his pace and dribbling. Shortly after the opening goal, he cut inside and narrowly missed the target with a curling effort.

Belgium gradually settled into the contest and found an equaliser 11 minutes later. Defender Timothy Castagne delivered a precise cross into the penalty area, where Charles De Ketelaere rose above the defence to head past Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón. It was the first goal Spain had conceded during the tournament and ensured the teams entered halftime level at 1-1.

Seeking to regain momentum, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente introduced Pedri and Ferran Torres early in the second half. The substitutions added fresh energy, but Belgium defended well and prevented Spain from creating clear scoring opportunities for much of the period.

The match took another turn in the 71st minute when Courtois was forced off through injury. Backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens replaced the Real Madrid star as Belgium looked to push the game toward extra time.

Spain eventually found the breakthrough with only minutes remaining. Pau Cubarsí struck a low shot from outside the penalty area that Lammens failed to gather cleanly. The loose ball fell perfectly for Merino, who reacted quickly to fire home from close range and restore Spain’s lead in the 88th minute.

Belgium was unable to respond during the closing stages as Spain held on to secure a place in the last four.

The victory sets up a highly anticipated semifinal against Didier Deschamps’ France, one of the tournament’s strongest performers. The winner will advance to the World Cup final, where either England, Norway, Argentina or Switzerland will be waiting.

England are scheduled to face Norway in Miami, while Lionel Messi’s Argentina will meet Switzerland in Kansas City to complete the semifinal lineup.

Spain will now attempt to move one step closer to winning their second World Cup title after their historic triumph in 2010.

Qatar claimed its first-ever World Cup point in dramatic fashion after a last-minute equaliser secured a 1–1 draw against Switzerland, triggering celebrations at home and across parts of the Arab world.

The breakthrough came deep into stoppage time in San Francisco, when Swiss defender Miro Muheim accidentally headed the ball into his own net in the 94th minute under pressure from Qatar’s Boualem Khoukhi. The late mishap salvaged a point for “Al-Annabi” (The Maroons), who had spent much of the match under sustained pressure from the Swiss side.

Qatar’s players, visibly exhausted at the final whistle, dropped to the pitch before regrouping with teammates, coaching staff and head coach Julen Lopetegui to mark a result widely described as historic for the nation’s football journey.

Lopetegui praised his side’s resilience and organisation, highlighting their determination to remain disciplined against a stronger attacking opponent. “I was very proud about today… our mentality, the discipline they showed today,” he said after the match. “We needed to have our plan and we needed to fulfil it. We were a little bit lucky sometimes, but you need belief and a bit of luck in football.”

Inside the stadium, Qatari supporters erupted at the final whistle, while celebrations quickly spread beyond the venue. In Doha and other cities, fans gathered late into the night, with the result also drawing messages of support and congratulations from across the Arab world.

One widely shared post on social media platform X read: “Congratulations to our brothers in Qatar, a well-deserved celebration for all Arabs, from the Atlantic to the Gulf. Al-Anabi fought until the very last moment and secured a precious point with the spirit of champions.”

The result has significantly tightened Group B, with all four teams now level on one point. Earlier in the group, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina also played out a draw in Toronto, leaving the standings finely balanced after the opening round of matches.

With no clear leader emerging, the group remains wide open heading into the next fixtures, keeping qualification hopes alive for all sides. Qatar’s late equaliser not only altered the group dynamics but also marked a symbolic moment for the team, securing a milestone result on football’s biggest stage.