ESP vs BEL FIFA World Cup LIVE: Spain beat Belgium 2-1 to qualify for semis after Mikel Merino's late winner

Spain have beaten Belgium 2-1 to qualify for the semis. They will take on France next. 

Alex Witsel has been booked for a late challenge on Rodri. 

Aymeric Laporte has been booked. Five mins remaining for Belgium to find an equaliser. 

Mikel Merino has scored again. Lammens with a schoolboy error as he faield to grab the ball. Spain are now few minutes away from the semis. 

Kevin de Bruyne has been subbed off for Alexis Saelemakers. Spain also make a change as Dani Olmo walked out for Mikel Merino. 

Yellow card for Kevin de Bruyne for a poor challenge on Ferran Torres.

What a ball from Rodri! He found Lamine Yamal inside the box but a poor second touch from the Barca man saw the chance go begging. Six more minutes of regulation time. 

It looks like the Belgium veteran is struggling with cramp. That could become an increasingly common sight if this one goes beyond 90 minutes, with the hot conditions in Los Angeles sure to take their toll on both sets of players.

Nico Williams is finally here as we see him for the first time since the group stage. He replaced Mikel Oyarzabal. 

We’re into the final 15 minutes of normal time, and Spain continue to look the more dangerous side. However, Belgium have remained a constant threat on the counter-attack throughout the match, and this one is still finely poised. It could go either way or we could be heading into extra time.

Thibaut Courtois is in tears. He has been forced to walk off. Manchester United's Lammens replaced him. 

Courtois has been seen getting up and jogging after the hydration break has been called. Positive signs but can he continue with the discomfort? 

Thibaut Courtois is hurt and is down. Massive blow for Belgium if he has to walk out. It doesn't look good for the time being. 

Ohh, the ball did touch Laporte's hand but the referee didn't call for a penalty. Kevin de Bruyne ended the move with a shot on target. Spain counter immediately with Mikel Oyarzabal with the shot, but Courtois send it out for a corner. Things are heating up. 

Belgium make three changes. Alex Witsel, Romelu Lukaku and Joaquin Seys replaced Maxim de Cuyper, Hans Vanaken and Leandro Trossard. 

Spain make two changes. Pedri and Ferran Torres replaces Alex Baena and Fabian Ruiz. 

Belgium had the perfect opportunity to ahead. However, De Cuyper shot it wide. 

Spain look to threaten from a set piece as Yamal’s effort is deflected behind for a corner. The resulting delivery drops to Olmo on the edge of the area, but his strike sails over the crossbar. Spain are preparing to make a substitution. Moments later, Belgium won a corner. De Bruyne swings the delivery in from the right, but referee Michael Oliver spots a push inside the box and brings play to a halt.

Belgium win a free kick inside their own half after Cucurella brings down Trossard. The Spanish defender is livid with the decision. 

The players walk out of the tunnel for the second half. Spain will kick off the affairs. The scoreline is 1-1 and it's all to play for in the second half. Reminder: The winner of the match will travel to Dallas to play France in the semi-final. 

It's 1-1 at half-time. What a scintillating 45 mins. Both teams needed a break after ruthless football. 

Baena swings a delivery in from the left, but it fails to beat the first defender. He gets another chance moments later and this time it’s a much better ball, finding Ruiz on the edge of the box. However, the midfielder’s effort is blocked. Belgium counters and does well but Olmo stopped the attack at the centre of the park. 

Are Spain losing the plot now? Pau Cubarsi has been booked for an unnecessary foul on Kevin de Bruyne. Belgium are moving well after the goal. 

Belgium have pulled off an equaliser. Unai Simon is finally beaten. Charles De Ketalaere has headed it in from a fantastic cross from the right flank. 

The 18-year-old is dancing with the ball and dancing well. Another chance for him. He cut in to the left and entered the box and shot it, but the ball went wide. 

Lamine Yamal hits the target, but easy for Thibaut Courtois. However, he failed to grab it as Spain had another chance. The ball went for a corner. Spain failed to make anything meaningful out of it. 

How good is Lamine Yamal? He skims down a couple of defenders before being brought down on the edge of the box. He will fancy himself for a goal from here on. Perfect position for a left-foot player. 

Pedro Porro gets the better of Jeremy Doku far too easily there. The winger really should have done more to stop the attack developing. The right-back picks out Dani Olmo, who fires a shot straight at Courtois. The goalkeeper will feel he should have done better as well, with the save spilling directly into the path of Fabian Ruiz. The midfielder makes no mistake and taps home to score his first-ever World Cup goal.

Fabian Ruiz has scored the first goal of the evening. He dropped in late and found the ball inside the box and turned it in rather comfortably with the keeper out of the picture after an earlier shot. Spain go 1-0 up. 

A hydration break has been called in Los Angeles. Again, both teams have looked deadly in the attack but have been far from anything meaningful. Lamine Yamal is finally showing his true potential after an otherwise quiet tournament. 

Lamine Yamal has shot it wide after cutting to his left near the box. He believed it was a corner and was protesting, but the referee called for a goalkick. No shot on target for either teams in the first 21 mins. 

It was expected to be a snooze fest, but Jeremy Doku and Lamine Yamal have kept us on the edge of our seats. They are dancing well with the ball and keeping the opponent in check. Both teams are enjoying their attacking build-ups but are far from finishing it off. 

Lamine Yamal won a freekick in the 10th minute of the match. He was brought down by Trossard just outside the box on the left flank. Spain create a good chance as Rodri's shot from inside the box was well blocked. 

A brilliant piece of dribbling from Jeremy Doku. He glides past three players with ease, instantly easing the pressure on his team and turning defence into attack. Spain are starting to take control of possession now, though, which is exactly what we expected from them.

Belgium kick off the affair in Los Angeles. They are in their whites and are attacking from the left to right of the pitch. Spain, in their typical red kit, attack the opposite. Belgium show early signs of their attack as they launched the first one inside 30 secs. 

Both teams have gathered around the centre circle for a minute's silence for 12 victims that have lost lives in a wildfire in Almeria in Spain. 

In the absence of Youri Tielemans, who has been replaced by Hans Vanaken, Kevin de Bruyne leads Belgium vs Spain. 

The players have gathered for the national anthems. Spain to sing first, followed by Belgium. 

Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans has been ruled out of the semi-final clash due to an injury while training during the warm-ups. Major blow for Belgium. 

Pedri's absence from Spain's starting XI against Belgium comes despite his impressive passing numbers at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Barcelona midfielder has completed 170 passes into the final third during the tournament, a figure that places him among Spain's most influential creators in a single World Cup campaign. Only Isco in 2018 and Xavi in 2010 have recorded more such passes for Spain in one edition of the competition.

Thibaut Courtois, Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper, Youri Tielemans, Nicolas Raskin, Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Charles De Ketelaere

Spain have dropped Pedri. No sign of Gavi and Nico Williams as well.

Spain Playing XI - Unai Simon, Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, Mikel Oyarzabal

Spain host Belgium in the second quarterfinal of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Los Angeles. The winner of the match will play France in the semi-final. Both teams have engaged in light drill and has now warmed up for the game to begin in less than 22 mins time.