SoFi Stadium. Los Angeles. July 10. 3 PM ET. Spain has not let in a goal all tournament. Not a single one, whereas Belgium has scored 13. One side has been watertight at the back. The other has been on fire up front. Friday decides which record breaks first. The winner gets either France or Morocco in the semi-final. This will be a defining match for both teams, but before drawing any conclusions, is it only correct to analyze how both teams have performed so far?
Spain vs Belgium Match Info at a Glance
Comparison
Spain Performance at the World Cup This Year
The first game was 0-0 with Cabo Verde. People started asking questions. Then Saudi Arabia 4-0. Uruguay 1-0. Austria 3-0. Portugal 1-0. Merino off the bench, 91st minute, header, done. Five straight wins after that opener. Five clean sheets. Not one goal was let in. World Cup record for Spain.
Oyarzabal: 4 goals. Spain's top scorer. Rodri and Pedri in midfield. Belgium will not enjoy playing against those two. Nobody has. At 18, Lamine Yamal is the best attacking player in the tournament, scoring his first World Cup goal in the group stage.
How has Belgium played
Drew Egypt. Drew Iran. Needed the New Zealand game to qualify automatically. They beat New Zealand 5-1. Then they played Senegal. Senegal scored 2 first. Belgium was losing. Then they scored 3 and won 3-2. Went to extra time to do it. Then USA 4-1. De Ketelaere scored twice. Lukaku off the bench, late fourth. 13 goals in 5 games. Belgium can score.
De Bruyne makes Belgium tick. Always has. Doesn't matter who else is around him. Doku is rapid on the left. Lukaku has 3 World Cup goals here, 8 career total. He waits on the bench like a weapon.
Spain and Belgium Team News
Spain: Nico Williams (groin) missed Portugal and is a doubt for Friday. Baena has done well in his place. Victor Munoz (calf) has not played at all this tournament.
Belgium: Onana is out. Knee. Got injured in the first half against the USA. Done for the tournament. Trossard is a doubt too, with a muscle complaint from that same game. Vanaken replaced Onana and is expected to start Friday.
Spain and Belgium Predicted Lineups
Based on current form and fitness.
H3 Spain 11 Players Prediction (4-2-3-1)
1 Simon
16 Porro,
14 Cubarsi
22 Laporte
3 Cucurella
16 Rodri (c)
8 Pedri
19 Yamal
10 Olmo
17 Baena
7 Oyarzabal
Belgium 11 Players Prediction (4-3-3)
1 Courtois
2 Castagne
6 Debast
5 Theate
3 De Cuyper
8 Vanaken
15 Tielemans
7 De Bruyne
14 De Ketelaere
9 Lukaku
11 Doku
Spain and Belgium Head-to-Head
Belgium knocked Spain out. Same round as Friday. It finished 1-1. Went to penalties. Belgium won 5-4. Four years later, Spain hit back. 1990 group stage. Spain 2-1 Belgium. One win each at the World Cup. Friday is the decider. The first competitive game between them since then is Friday. Belgium has beaten Spain at this exact stage before, whereas Spain has never beaten Belgium in a World Cup knockout match before, making it an interesting game to see as one of those facts changes on Friday.
The Key Battle on the Pitch
Yamal vs Belgium's right-back. That is the game within the game. Castagne has to deal with an 18-year-old who might be the best player at this tournament. As Spain gets Yamal on the ball, Belgium cannot double up without leaving Oyarzabal free in the box. If they drop deep to shut that down, Yamal has room to run. Meanwhile, De Bruyne needs the ball to make Belgium dangerous. Stop him from getting it, and Belgium struggles to create.
Spain vs Belgium Betting Tips
Spain to win: 12 wins from 23 meetings. Five clean sheets. 64% to win per market. Anchor bet.
Oyarzabal anytime scorer: 4 goals at this tournament. Spain's top scorer. Gets in the right areas.
Spain to win to nil: Five clean sheets in five. Belgium scored goals but never faced a defence this organised.
Score Over 2.5 goals: Belgium scored 13 in 5 games. If they get one early and the game opens up, this pays.
Spain vs Belgium Score Prediction
First half. Spain keeps the ball. Belgium waits. Drop deep. Make it hard. De Bruyne looks for that one pass that breaks everything open. Yamal gets it on the right and drives at Castagne. Does it again. And again. One of those runs ends with a goal. Has to.
In the second half, Belgium needs to come out. They cannot sit back and hope. Garcia pushes men forward. Doku goes direct. Lukaku comes off the bench. That is when Spain hurt them. One quick break, Yamal to Oyarzabal, second goal. Belgium grabs one back late. Too little too late.
Spain 2-1 Belgium.
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Final Thoughts on Spain Against Belgium
Zero goals conceded for Spain against 13 goals scored by Belgium. Something breaks on Friday. Belgium has the players. De Ketelaere. Best Belgian player this tournament. No question. And Lukaku? Comes off the bench. Scores. Every time.Spain, though, has five games, zero goals let in. Not one. Rodri and Pedri in the middle will make Belgium's life very difficult. Spain should win. Spain 2-1 Belgium.