Spain came into this World Cup quarterfinal having not allowed a single goal all tournament. That streak lasted 30 minutes.
Then Belgium did what nobody else could. They scored. And now this game is anybody’s to win.
Fabian Ruiz, the surprise starter over Barcelona star Pedri, put Spain ahead in the 30th minute with a clean rebound off a Dani Olmo shot. It was the kind of goal that makes a manager look like a genius. Luis de la Fuentes had inserted the PSG midfielder specifically because he’s more aggressive going forward. And it worked immediately.
Spain probably thought that was it. They’d been stingy all tournament. But Belgium didn’t flinch.
Just 11 minutes later, Timothy Castagne sent a cross in from the right flank. Charles De Ketelaere met it with his head and beat the keeper. Tie game. The first goal Spain had conceded in the entire World Cup, and it came at the worst possible time for them — right before the half.
The rest of the first half stayed quiet. Both teams went into the locker room at 1-1. But the second half is where this gets interesting.
Spain has Mikel Merino on the bench. He’s the guy who came on against Portugal and scored the goal that sent Spain to the quarterfinals. He’s got a knack for big moments.
Belgium, though, has Romelu Lukaku. The legendary striker has either scored or completely changed the game every time he’s entered a match in this tournament. He’s not a secret weapon. He’s just a weapon. And he’s probably coming in at some point in the second half.
Both teams know the winner goes to the semifinals to face France. So there’s no playing it safe. Expect subs early. Expect pressure. Expect someone to make a mistake or a moment of brilliance.
This is what a World Cup quarterfinal should look like. Two good teams. One goal apiece. A whole half left to settle it.
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