MIKEL MERINO'S GOAL LIFTS SPAIN PAST BELGIUM IN WORLD CUP QUARTERS

Super-sub Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens and Spain won 2-1 over Belgium to advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals on July 11.

"Mikel Merino #6 of Spain celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium. — AFP/VNA Photos"

LOS ANGELES — Super-sub Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens and Spain won 2-1 over Belgium to advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals on July 11.

It was a Fabian Ruiz goal that gave the European champions the lead on the half-hour mark at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Ruiz benefits from some poor Thibaut Courtois handling and slammed home on the rebound from close range.  

However, shortly Charles De Ketelaere nodded home a cross to bring Belgium level in timely fashion. 

He was the first scorer of the tournament who could find the back of the net of Luis de la Fuente's side. Spain's six-game clean sheet streak was ended in the 41st minute.

Both two sides had opportunities to raise the score in the second half. 

"Lamine Yamal finds himself one-on-one with Courtois in the 48th mark. The keeper came out on top, but the flag was up on the teenager regardless.

Jérémy Doku and De Bruyne made up a lovely one-two with each other before setting Maxim De Cupyer in a perfect place to score. However, the winger lashed into the side netting in the 55th minute.

Six minutes later Yamal's another effort was beaten away by the busy Courtois who previously saved his net from Oyarzabal's attempt."

"Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois receives medical treatment."

"A turning point came in the 72nd minute when Courtois went off in tears because of injury. He was replaced by  Lammens who spilled the ball to Merino in the final minutes, allowing the Spaniard to smash home a rebound for a 2-1 win.

It was the second game in a row that Merino came from the bench and scored a late goal. Earlier, the Arsenal midfielder also netted a late winner as a substitute against Portugal four days ago."

"Jeremy Doku of Belgium (centre) competes for the ball against Spanish players during  their quarter-final match."

"He was the first player in the history of the World Cup to score winning goals in separate knockout ties as a substitute but that didn't really cover it. Merino was only given nine minutes plus stoppage time across the two games. It was all he needed.

Spain will next play tournament favourite France in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Dallas.

Other quarter-finals will be held tonight between Norway and England at the Miami Stadium and Argentina and Switzerland at the Kansas City Stadium. — VNS"

PSG INFLICT HUMILIATING DEFEAT ON REAL MADRID TO REAC CLUB WORLD CUP FINAL

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz (bottom) celebrates with defender Achraf Hakimi after Ruiz scored PSG's third goal of its Club World Cup semifinal win over Real Madrid on Wednesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. | AFP-JIJI

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champion Paris Saint-Germain turned on the style in its reunion with Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the semifinals of the Club World Cup to set up a showdown with Chelsea.

Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored inside nine minutes to stun Real and silence the majority of the 77,542 crowd who were wearing white at MetLife Stadium outside New York.

The Spanish midfielder added another before halftime and Goncalo Ramos got a late fourth as Luis Enrique's side moved one game away from glory at FIFA's new mega-tournament.

Victory against Chelsea on Sunday would complete a campaign of unparalleled success for the Parisians, who won the French title and then the first UEFA Champions League in their history in May.

"We are in a special season, a special moment, and we deserved to win," Luis Enrique told broadcaster DAZN before looking ahead to the final.

"We are going to try, one more step against a good team like Chelsea. They did great, they performed the whole competition and now it is time for us to prepare for that ... we want to make history in our club, and then take some holidays."

After blowing away Inter Milan 5-0, the biggest victory in Champions League final history, PSG began their Club World Cup bid by putting four past Atletico Madrid and the ease with which they disposed of Real was striking.

PSG's fluidity contrasted starkly with Real Madrid, which is a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso.

"We were not good enough today," said Alonso. "We are not the first ones to lose to them but we have a lot of different things to improve."

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during his team's semifinal defeat at the hands of his former club, Paris Saint-Germain. | AFP-JIJI

Mbappe struggled to make any impact in his first start at the tournament and in his first game against PSG since leaving the French club last year.

The defeat is a real blow to Real as it hoped to win the first 32-team Club World Cup to add to its record tally of 15 European titles.

PSG was without imposing center-back Willian Pacho due to suspension following his sending-off against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, but that did not matter.

Lucas Beraldo slotted into the defense with ease, and the rest of PSG's first-choice lineup was there.

Real was missing central defender Dean Huijsen through suspension, while the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold was an added blow.

The return to the starting lineup of Mbappe, who missed the entire group stage due to illness, did not prevent young striker Gonzalo Garcia from keeping his place.

But the Spanish club's front line, completed by Vinicius Junior, made no real impact, such was the extent of PSG's domination.

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two superb saves inside the opening five minutes, the first to tip away a Ruiz shot, and the second to deny Nuno Mendes from point-blank range.

Yet Courtois could not prevent Paris from scoring in the sixth minute, as Dembele pounced on slack defending by Raul Asencio. The Real goalkeeper saved at the forward's feet but Ruiz converted the loose ball.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Goncalo Ramos (top, center) scores his team's fourth goal on Wednesday. | AFP-JIJI

Three minutes later and the contest was effectively over when Antonio Rudiger failed to control a simple pass from Jude Bellingham, allowing Dembele to run through before finishing low into the corner.

Like his friend Mbappe, Dembele was starting for the first time at the competition after dealing with an injury. That was a 35th club goal since August for a player who is a serious candidate for the Ballon d'Or.

It was turning into a humiliating afternoon for Real as PSG got its third midway through the first half.

A deflected shot by Mbappe was easily held by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and no Madrid player touched the ball again before they were picking it out of their net a minute later.

Dembele released Achraf Hakimi on the right and he squared for Ruiz, with the Spain star taking a touch to hold off Fede Valverde before finishing.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have got a fourth before the interval, while Desire Doue had a goal disallowed early in the second half.

But Real was not coming back, and Alonso opted to take off Bellingham and Vinicius just after the hour mark in a clear sign of surrender.

PSG then got its fourth after 87 minutes when Ramos controlled a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola, turned and fired in.

- ANDY SCOTT

FULL PSG SQUAD TO TAKE ON ARSENAL IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE S MI-FINAL REVEALED

Senny Mayulu, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire Emery walk on the pitch for a Paris Saint-Germain training session ahead of their UEFA Champions League 2024/25 semi final match at Emirates Stadium. (Image: Aurelien Meunier - PSG/PSG via Getty Images)

The latest Arsenal news as the Gunners host PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night at the Emirates Stadium.

Paris Saint-Germain have revealed their full 22-man squad for the Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal.

The Gunners host the French Champions at the Emirates Stadium tonight (Tuesday, 8pm kick-off) as both teams look to take an advantage into the second leg of the tie. A final in Munich, Germany against either Barcelona or Inter await the winners.

For Arsenal, they will be hoping for a repeat of the quarter-final against Real Madrid. Mikel Arteta ’s men took a 3-0 lead into the second leg, with the side completing the job at the Bernabeu with a 5-1 aggregate score.

Ahead of the game, PSG have been handed a clean bill of health in terms of injuries. There are no notable absentees for the squad selected by manager Luis Enrique.

Included in the 22-man list are three goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders and five forwards.

Here is a look at the full squad that has been selected by the club, along with the squad numbers they will be wearing for the game.

Full PSG squad vs Arsenal

1 Gianluigi Donnarumma

2 Achraf Hakimi

3 Presnel Kimpembe

5 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

8 Fabian Ruiz

9 Goncalo Ramos

10 Ousmane Dembele

14 Desire Doue

17 Vitinha

19 Lee Kang-In

21 Lucas Hernandez

24 Senny Mayulu

25 Nuno Mendes

29 Bradley Barcola

33 Warren Zaire-Emery

35 Lucas Beraldo

39 Matvey Safonov

49 Ibrahim Mbaye

51 Willian Pacho

80 Arnau Tenas

87 Joao Neves

- Amie Wilson