Super sub Merino makes late heroics a habit for La Roja

Mikel Merino is becoming the player who finds the net exactly when Spain need him most, and the substitute did it for a second straight knockout tie as La Roja beat Belgium 2-1 in a World Cup quarterfinal in Los Angeles today.

It is becoming something of a routine for Spain at this point -- bring Merino on late, and then watch him score the decisive goal.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

At Euro 2024, with the score locked at 1-1 against hosts Germany in a quarterfinal, Merino rose to meet a Dani Olmo cross and thumped home a header in the 119th minute to send Spain into the semifinals.

Fast forward two years, and the Arsenal midfielder repeated the trick in the World Cup round of 16 against Portugal, striking in the 91st minute after latching onto a slick pass from Ferran Torres to decide a game that would otherwise have headed for extra time following a largely tactical stalemate.

Against Belgium, Spain faced their toughest test of this World Cup. Fabian Ruiz put La Roja ahead in the 30th minute, tapping in after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois parried an initial effort. But Belgium hit back before the break, with Charles De Ketelaere rising to head home a pinpoint cross in the 40th minute to make it 1-1 at half-time.

As the second half wore on, Spain were missing the final bite, often taking one touch too many around the edge of the box as the clock ticked down.

Courtois, struggling with an injury, was replaced by Senne Lammens in the 71st minute. Spain, meanwhile, turned to their bench, sending on Pedri, Nico Williams, and Ferran Torres before Merino replaced Olmo in the 86th minute.

Two minutes later, with extra time looming, Pau Cubarsi drove a shot from distance that Lammens could only parry into danger, and Merino pounced on the rebound to fire Spain into the last four with his second touch of the match.

The result draws the curtain on Belgium's much-talked-about golden generation. Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and captain Youri Tielemans -- who missed the match after picking up an injury in the warm-up -- have chased a major trophy together for more than a decade.

This exit, coming after a spirited run that included a 4-1 win over co-hosts the United States in the last 16, looks set to mark the end of that pursuit for several of Belgium's senior players.

For Spain, the road to glory gets only tougher. The European champions now face an in-form France in Dallas on Wednesday after Didier Deschamps' side cruised past Morocco 2-0 to remain unbeaten through five matches.

France have looked ruthless throughout the tournament, and stopping them will be Spain's biggest test yet as they chase a second World Cup title and their first since 2010.

And La Roja may yet again need to call on Merino to apply the finishing touch in a game that promises to be one of the most tightly contested blockbusters of the competition.

If Spain are to lift the trophy once again, they may not need Merino to start -- but they could well need him to finish.