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Spain in the semi-finals, Merino after the Portuguese sent home Belgium
Slovenia⚽ Sports11 hr. ago

Spain in the semi-finals, Merino after the Portuguese sent home Belgium

Spain advanced to the semifinals of the World Cup by defeating Belgium 2:1 in their quarter-final match at the Los Angeles Stadium in California. Spain dominated the game statistically, with a possession ratio of 68:32, 18 shots compared to Belgium's 5, and a goal expectancy index of 2.06:0.48. The decisive moment came after Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois suffered an injury, and his replacement Lammens made a mistake that allowed Mikel Merino to score the winning goal. Spain, current European champions and runners-up of the Nations League, had not conceded a goal in this World Cup up to that point, with goalkeeper Unai Simon keeping a clean sheet for over 600 minutes across both tournaments. Belgium, despite being a strong team, lacked the star power of Spain, who also fielded young talent like Lamine Yamal. Belgium had previously narrowly avoided elimination against Senegal in the round of 16.

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3 reports

Dnevnik logoDnevnikIndependent🔒Center11 hr. ago
Spain in the semi-finals, Merino after the Portuguese sent home Belgium

Spain advanced to the semifinals of the World Cup by defeating Belgium 2:1 in their quarter-final match at the Los Angeles Stadium in California. Spain dominated the game statistically, with a possession ratio of 68:32, 18 shots compared to Belgium's 5, and a goal expectancy index of 2.06:0.48. The decisive moment came after Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois suffered an injury, and his replacement Lammens made a mistake that allowed Mikel Merino to score the winning goal. Spain, current European champions and runners-up of the Nations League, had not conceded a goal in this World Cup up to that point, with goalkeeper Unai Simon keeping a clean sheet for over 600 minutes across both tournaments. Belgium, despite being a strong team, lacked the star power of Spain, who also fielded young talent like Lamine Yamal. Belgium had previously narrowly avoided elimination against Senegal in the round of 16.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses solely on a sports event—the World Cup quarter-final between Spain and Belgium—without any political commentary, framing, or implications related to politics, officials, or public policy. It provides objective match details, player performances, and statistical comparisons, with

Slovenske novice logoSlovenske noviceIndependentCenter11 hr. ago
The Spaniards beat the Belgians in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Spain's national football team advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States by defeating Belgium 2:1 (1:1) in a quarterfinal match held in Los Angeles. The goals came from Fabian Ruiz in the 30th minute and Mikel Merino in the 88th minute, while Belgium's only goal was scored by Charles De Ketelaere in the 41st minute. This marks Spain's fifth victory at the tournament and their third appearance in the semifinals. Their previous successes include winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and reaching the semifinals in 1950 in Brazil. The next opponent for Spain will be France, which defeated Morocco 2:0 (0:0) in their quarterfinal match. The article also mentions other upcoming matches, including the Norway vs. England game in Miami and the Argentina vs. Switzerland match in Kansas City.

Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sports event without any political implications. It provides factual information about the results of a football match and the progression of teams in the World Cup tournament. There is no indication of a biased frame or emphasis on specific political viewpoints.

Siol.net logoSiol.netState / PublicCenter12 hr. ago
Courtois on the bench, tears in his eyes, the reserve goalkeeper with the error to give Spain the goal and the semi-finals

In the quarter-final match of the FIFA World Cup held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, Spain defeated Belgium 2:1 to advance to the semi-finals where they will face France. The Spanish team took the lead through a goal by Fabian Ruiz, who scored his first goal of the tournament. Belgium equalized with a goal by Charles De Ketelaere. The decisive moment came in the 88th minute when Belgium's backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a critical error, allowing Mikel Merino to score the winning goal for Spain. This victory marks Spain's progression to the semi-finals.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses solely on a sports event—the World Cup quarter-final between Spain and Belgium—without any political commentary, framing, or implications. It provides objective details about the game's outcome, key players, and pivotal moments without leaning toward any particular perspective.

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