Spain booked their place in the World Cup semi-final after a Senne Lammens mistake allowed Mikel Merino to score late once again, securing a 2-1 win against Belgium.

It was a tight contest at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, but it looked like the favourites, Spain, were going to make easy work of it when Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring for the 2010 champs after the half-hour mark.

However, against the run of play, Belgium equalised just before halftime, with Charles de Ketelaere heading the ball past Unai Simón for his third goal of the tournament.

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Mikel Merino of Spain scores his team’s second goal past Senne Lammens. Pic: David Ramos/Getty Images

From then on, it was back and forth, with both sides creating a few chances, but the biggest moment came just after the second hydration break when Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced off with an injury, leaving Man United’s Senne Lammens to come on for just his third International cap, and his first at the World Cup.

It was a huge risk to take off the Real Madrid goalkeeper, and a costly one. Lammens spilt a Pau Cubarsi shot straight into the path of Merino, who was able to be the hero once again for Spain, scoring with three minutes of normal time remaining to book Spain into their first semi-final since winning the tournament in 2010.

Speaking afterwards, Courtois admitted he didn’t want to leave the game, but ultimately accepted that if he was 100% he had to. ‘It’s just a shame to go off,’ the Real Madrid keeper said. ‘It was a special match. I felt good. I had taken two goal kicks. On the second one, I felt a bit more pain in the quadriceps. I let them know that I couldn’t kick long balls anymore.

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Senne Lammens. Pic: Carl Recine/Getty Images

‘I could have stayed in goal. But the coach told me he would sub me off if I didn’t feel 100%. I wanted to keep playing out there, but he decided to replace me. That’s no problem; the team comes before everything.’

He then defended the 24-year-old Man United keeper, saying: ‘Senne Lammens is a fantastic goalkeeper with a bright future. This moment will make him stronger.

‘I gave him a big hug. He’s a great goalkeeper. You only get stronger from this. Eventually, you cannot say much more to him or give him much more advice. He is a strong guy, strong personality. I’m sure he’ll be fine. You know, he will have some holidays and then regroup in Manchester and have a great season.

Manchester United released a short statement following Belgium’s defeat, saying: ‘Head up, Senne. We’re all with you.’