Highlights
- Spain beat Portugal 1-0 to reach World Cup quarter-finals
- Merino's stoppage-time goal ends Ronaldo's World Cup campaign
- Belgium defeat United States 4-1 to set up Spain clash
- Ronaldo says he will reflect on his future
SPAIN and Belgium booked their places in the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday, with Spain beating Portugal 1-0 and Belgium defeating the United States 4-1.
Substitute Mikel Merino scored in the first minute of second-half stoppage time to give Spain victory over Portugal in their last-16 match in Arlington, Texas. Belgium later beat tournament co-hosts the United States 4-1 in Seattle to set up a quarter-final meeting with Spain on Friday in Inglewood, California.
Spain's win also brought an end to Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup campaign. The Portugal captain, playing in his sixth World Cup, said afterwards he would take time before deciding on his future.
Merino scored six minutes after coming on as Spain reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since winning the tournament in 2010.
His goal, his first of the tournament after scoring six for Spain in qualifying, came after a largely quiet second half. Fellow substitutes Ferran Torres and Fabian Ruiz combined through the middle before Ruiz played Merino into the penalty area, where he finished low past Diogo Costa inside the left post.
Portugal pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Bernardo Silva came closest with a header that went narrowly over the bar six minutes into stoppage time.
Spain finished the match without conceding a goal in the tournament. Goalkeeper Unai Simon made two saves.
Spain started the stronger side. Mikel Oyarzabal missed wide in the ninth minute after an early attack beat Portugal's offside trap, and eight minutes later Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena forced Costa into a double save.
Portugal improved as the first half progressed. Ronaldo forced Simon into a save in the 37th minute, and four minutes later Nuno Mendes' shot deflected off Pedro Porro and hit the crossbar.
The defeat is likely to be Ronaldo's final World Cup appearance. The 41-year-old scored three goals at his record-tying sixth World Cup. Unlike Lionel Messi, who won the 2022 World Cup in his fifth appearance after reaching the 2014 final, Ronaldo completed six World Cups without reaching a final. Portugal's best finish during his career was a semi-final appearance in 2006.
Former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ronaldo said he would now reflect on his future.
"It was my last World Cup, yes, but I'll have time to think about the rest, to be with my family, not make rash decisions, and just get on with life," Ronaldo said.
"That's football, that's the life of a footballer. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and you have to move on."
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised his team's display.
"It was a fantastic match -- a final played early -- and, inevitably, we had to sweat it out until the very end," de la Fuente said. "We put in a complete performance."
Earlier, Belgium ended the United States' World Cup run with a 4-1 victory in Seattle.
Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, Hans Vanaken added a third after a mistake by goalkeeper Matt Freese, and substitute Romelu Lukaku scored in stoppage time.
The match had been overshadowed by the decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play after FIFA suspended his one-match ban following lobbying by US President Donald Trump.
Balogun, named in Mauricio Pochettino's starting line-up, had little impact as Belgium prevented the United States from reaching their first World Cup quarter-final in 24 years.
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans said the events before the match had given the team extra motivation.
"Let's be honest: we held a meeting when we heard the news," Tielemans said.
"We told ourselves we needed to do our talking on the pitch. That's what we did today. I'm very proud of the team," the Aston Villa midfielder told Belgium's RTBF broadcaster.
Pochettino admitted his side had not performed.
"Today we were not the same team that we have been during the tournament," Pochettino said. "It was a very bad day -- it wasn't our day in a collective and individual way."
Belgium went ahead through De Ketelaere after nine minutes before Malik Tillman's deflected free-kick made it 1-1 in the 31st minute.
Belgium regained the lead two minutes later when De Ketelaere headed home. Vanaken made it 3-1 in the 57th minute after Freese was dispossessed outside his penalty area while trying to clear the ball. Lukaku completed the scoring in stoppage time.
Belgium had earlier challenged Balogun's eligibility before the match, but FIFA dismissed the appeal.
"There was a sense of injustice within the squad," Belgium's Nicolas Raskin said. "We were determined to respond on the field."
Belgium will now face Spain in Friday's quarter-final.
(With inputs from agencies)
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