Spain and Belgium went into half time level at 1-1 in their World Cup quarter final at SoFi Stadium on 11 July, after Charles De Ketelaere’s headed equaliser ended Spain’s long wait to concede a goal at this tournament.
Belgium’s preparations were disrupted before kick off when captain Youri Tielemans was forced off injured during the warm up, with Hans Vanaken drafted into midfield in his place. It compounded an already difficult situation for head coach Rudi Garcia, who had already lost Amadou Onana to injury earlier in the tournament, leaving Belgium without two of their most influential midfielders for the biggest test of their campaign so far. Kevin De Bruyne inherited the captain’s armband and led the side out, with the responsibility on his shoulders heightened considerably by the midfield absences around him.
Spain, unchanged in system despite the continued absence of Pedri, dominated the opening exchanges, with Fabian Ruiz operating alongside Rodri and Dani Olmo playing just behind Mikel Oyarzabal, the same trio that carried the side to the semi final and final of Euro 2024. Spain’s early pressure told in the 30th minute, when Pedro Porro combined down the right with Olmo, whose shot was parried by Thibaut Courtois straight into the path of Ruiz to sweep home from close range, immediately vindicating Luis de la Fuente’s decision to start the Paris Saint Germain midfielder ahead of Pedri.
Lamine Yamal continued to look increasingly sharp as the half progressed, twice going close, first curling a shot narrowly wide after cutting inside from the right, then seeing a free kick well saved by Courtois after being fouled by Leandro Trossard just outside the box. Jeremy Doku offered Belgium’s clearest outlet in behind, repeatedly beating Spanish defenders with driving runs, though his end product remained lacking, most notably when he found De Ketelaere inside the box only for the striker’s effort to cannon off Marc Cucurella.
Belgium’s equaliser arrived against the run of play in the 41st minute, De Ketelaere timing his run intelligently between Spain’s defenders before rising to head home a superb curling cross from Timothy Castagne, beating Unai Simon and ending the goalkeeper’s all time World Cup finals record for minutes without conceding, which had reached 650. It was De Ketelaere’s third goal of the tournament, following his brace against the United States in the last 16.
Doku squandered a glorious opportunity to put Belgium ahead deep into first half stoppage time, breaking clear on the counter attack but selecting De Ketelaere with his pass rather than the onrushing Trossard, allowing Spain’s lone covering defender to intervene. The match paused briefly in the first minute for a moment of silence in memory of the victims of recent wildfires in southern Spain, which have claimed at least 12 lives, with Spanish federation president Rafael Louzan confirming the tribute had been arranged specially for the occasion.
Belgium’s resilience in the face of their midfield injuries has echoed a wider pattern from their tournament, with substitutes contributing five goals and four assists so far, the most goal involvements from bench players by any nation in World Cup history, a statistic that may prove significant again as Garcia continues to manage the fitness of frontman Romelu Lukaku from the bench.
The winner of the tie will face France in the semi final in Dallas.
