Late Drama
Both teams
The game was still moving in the closing minutes — Spain scored on 88′.
- Goals after 80′
- 1
- Last goal
- 88′
World Cup · Quarter · finals
Spain
F. Ruiz 30'
M. Merino 88'
2 – 1
FT
HT 1–1
Belgium
C. De Ketelaere 41'
World Cup
Quarter · finalsSpain2–1Belgium
2.08
Expected goals
0.37
30′41′88′
Shot-by-shot xG is not available for this fixture, so the race is shown as full-time totals: SPA 2.08, BEL 0.37.
Match report
Spain 2-1 Belgium
Spain edged out Belgium 2-1 at SoFi Stadium in World Cup. Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain on 30', Ketelaere levelled for Belgium on 41' and Merino put Spain back in front on 88'.
Expected goals finished Spain 2.08, Belgium 0.37. The scoreline is a fair reflection of who created more. Spain held 68.0% of the ball.
It was settled late — Merino struck on 88' to swing it Spain's way with the game otherwise level.
The numbers picked up more than the scoreline shows. Belgium graded out for busy goalkeeper — 6 saves and 2.08 faced xg.
Thibaut Courtois came out of it with the best individual rating on the pitch, 7.9 for Belgium across 71 minutes.
It was a niggly afternoon: 31 fouls between them and 4 yellow cards, with Belgium conceding the most free-kicks (18).
Assembled by TackleZone from this fixture’s match events, team statistics and player ratings. Figures are as reported by the competition feed; where a statistic was not reported, it is left out rather than shown as zero. Longer written analysis is published for selected matches.
Quick stats
68%Possession32%
17Shots5
2.08xG0.37
What the numbers say
2 readsBusy Goalkeeper
Belgium
Belgium leaned on their goalkeeper, who made 6 saves.
- Saves
- 6
- Faced xG
- 2.08
- Conceded
- 2
Timeline
F. Ruiz
⚽30'
⚽41'
C. De Ketelaere — assist: T. Castagne
Pau Cubarsí
Foul
🟨43'
Half-time
F. Torres ↑ A. Baena ↓
🔄55'
Pedri ↑ F. Ruiz ↓
🔄55'
🔄60'
A. Witsel ↑ L. Trossard ↓
🔄60'
R. Lukaku ↑ H. Vanaken ↓
🔄61'
J. Seys ↑ M. De Cuyper ↓
🔄71'
S. Lammens ↑ T. Courtois ↓
N. Williams ↑ M. Oyarzabal ↓
🔄79'
🟨85'
Kevin De Bruyne
Foul
M. Merino ↑ D. Olmo ↓
🔄86'
🔄86'
A. Saelemaekers ↑ K. De Bruyne ↓
M. Merino
⚽88'
Aymeric Laporte
Foul
🟨90+3'
🟨90+5'
Axel Witsel
Foul
Match info
Kickoff
VenueSoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
RefereeMichael Oliver, England
CompetitionWorld Cup
Season2026
RoundQuarter · finals
StatusMatch Finished