When beating the U.S. in the World Cup last 16, Belgium had to overcome FIFA, a host nation and its President. It was quite a feat.During their quarter-final against Spain, though, they came up against a force that was impossible to surmount: fate.First they lost combative midfielder Amadou Onana to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last week; then Youri Tielemans, the team’s metronomic pace-setter in possession, limped out of the warm-up to the Spain game with a hamstring injury.They were still offering impressive resistance to Spain, drawing 1-1 in the 70th minute, when the final blow arrived: Thibaut Courtois, one of the world’s finest goalkeepers, coming off in tears with his own leg injury.In terms of a back-up, Manchester United’s Senne Lammens looked a secure option but asking a 24-year-old to make his World Cup debut in a quarter-final against Spain in front of 70,000 people proved a step too far.With just two minutes remaining, Lammens parried Pau Cubarsi’s awkward, bouncing 25-yard shot into the path of Mikel Merino, who gobbled up the rebound. Belgium were finally beaten.U.S. readers watch here:
SPAIN TAKES THE LATE LEAD IN CHAOTIC FASHION 🤯
Mikel Merino is the super sub once again for La Roja! pic.twitter.com/oXE2gDVa14
