Spain vs Belgium Predictions
Spain and Belgium meet in an intriguing World Cup quarter-final at SoFi Stadium on Friday.
La Roja have yet to concede at this tournament, and I expect the European champions to edge out Belgium in a tight quarter-final contest.
Spain to win is my preferred pick, while I also fancy Mikel Oyarzabal to get on the scoresheet in Los Angeles.
Spain Backed in Los Angeles
- Spain won 11 of their last 15 matches
- Spain are unbeaten in their last 31 matches
- Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal has scored 18 goals in his last 17 international appearances
- Spain won their last 6 matches against Belgium
Spain Boast Dominant H2H Record
Spain and Belgium have met seven times since 1986. La Roja have dominated this fixture, winning each of their last six encounters.
Friday’s semi-final is their first meeting since 2016.
Spain Edge Past Portugal
Spain make the trip to California after a narrow 1-0 win against Iberian rivals Portugal earlier this week. In a tight contest with few clear-cut opportunities, Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time goal proved the difference-maker at AT&T Stadium.
Luis De La Fuente’s men had the better of the contest, registering 15 shots and a final xG of 1.69. An ineffective Portuguese attack managed only 10 shots and an xG of 0.63.
La Roja remain one of the toughest sides to beat in international football, with a strong defence providing the basis for a superb unbeaten run.
Spain are unbeaten in their last 31 matches, while they have kept clean sheets in all five games played at this World Cup.
Over a longer period, the European champions have leaked just four goals in their last 15 international fixtures. De La Fuente’s side kept clean sheets in all but three of those games.
Belgium Face Step Up
Belgium arrive in Los Angeles in high spirits after a surprisingly one-sided win against the USA in the round of 16.
Rudi Garcia’s side eased to a straightforward 4-1 victory against the co-hosts, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring twice before Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku secured a dominant victory in Seattle.
The Europeans largely dominated, with 15 shots and a final xG of 2.01. The US could muster only six efforts, generating an xG total of 0.63.
Even with their so-called “Golden Generation” era now behind them, Belgium have reached the quarter-final stage in three of the last four World Cups.
In the past year, Garcia’s men have also built up an impressive 18-game unbeaten run, including three successive wins at this competition.
Spain vs Belgium Lineups and Team News
Spain: (4-2-3-1) Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alejandro Baena; Mikel Oyarzabal
Spain have no reported injury issues, and Luis de la Fuente is likely to retain confidence in the same starting XI that edged past Portugal.
Mikel Merino could replace Dani Olm after his goalscoring substitute appearance in Texas.
Mikel Oyarzabal is expected to lead the attack, having scored 18 goals in his last 17 Spain appearances.
Head coach Luis de la Fuente has backed Lamine Yamal to deliver after scoring just once in the competition so far.
“It’s another, improved version of Lamine,” De la Fuente told ESPN. “As the youngsters would say, we are seeing version two-point-something.”
The Spain boss noted that Yamal is coming back from injury, but believes the teenager is ready to make an impact at a crucial stage of the tournament.
“Now, heading into a crucial week, he’s ready to perform at his best and is motivationally prepared,” he added.
Belgium: (4-2-3-1) Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin; Dodi Lukebakio, Youri Tielemans, Leandro Trossard; Charles De Ketelaere
Belgium will be forced into at least one change, with Amadou Onana ruled out of the World Cup after picking up a serious knee injury against the USA.
Hans Vanaken is expected to deputise in midfield after scoring from the bench in Seattle.
Garcia admitted the setback looked serious and would end Onana’s tournament, but insisted Belgium must now focus on reaching the semi-finals.
Charles De Ketelaere should continue in attack after bagging twice against the USA.
Star trio Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and Romelu Lukaku are again expected to start from the bench.