Spain secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals on Thursday, advancing to the semi-finals after a late mistake by Argentina goalkeeper Gerónimo Lammens. The match, played at the Lusail Stadium, saw Spain take the lead through a first-half goal from Álvaro Morata, but Argentina equalized in the 68th minute via a strike from Lautaro Martínez. With the score level at 1-1 and extra time looming, Spain's Marco Asensio fired a speculative shot from distance in the 88th minute that slipped through Lammens' grasp, handing Spain the winning goal.
Lammens' costly error
Lammens, who had been impressive throughout the tournament, was visibly distraught after the match. "It's a moment I'll never forget, but for all the wrong reasons," he said. "I thought I had it covered, but the ball moved in the air. It's a mistake that cost my team a place in the semi-finals." The 24-year-old goalkeeper, playing in his first World Cup, had kept three clean sheets in the group stage and made several key saves in the quarter-final before the error.
Spain's resilience pays off
Spain's manager Luis de la Fuente praised his team's resilience. "We knew it would be tough against Argentina, but we kept believing and created chances. Sometimes you need a bit of luck, and tonight it went our way," he said. Spain dominated possession with 62% and registered 15 shots to Argentina's 9, but struggled to break down a disciplined Argentine defense until Martínez's equalizer seemed to shift momentum.
Argentina's frustration
Argentina's manager Lionel Scaloni expressed frustration at the manner of defeat. "We worked so hard to get back into the game, and then to lose on a mistake like that is very difficult to accept. But that's football. We have to learn from this and come back stronger," he said. Argentina had been seeking to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2014, when they finished as runners-up.
Spain's semi-final opponent
Spain will now face either France or England in the semi-finals, with the match scheduled for Tuesday. It will be Spain's first appearance in the World Cup semi-finals since 2010, when they went on to win the tournament. The victory also extended Spain's unbeaten run to 14 matches, dating back to October 2025.
