Spain beats Belgium in thriller to set up blockbuster World Cup semifinal

Source: New York Post

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The script almost wrote itself. Spain manager Luis de la Fuente’s decisions to leave Pedri out of the starting lineup and insert Mikel Merino as a late substitute might have raised eyebrows at the time, but they turned out to be masterstrokes of genius in the World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium on Friday.