Spain's Mikel Merino described it as "surreal" to score a decisive late winner in consecutive knockout matches after his 88th-minute strike secured a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Belgium on Friday.

"I couldn't have imagined something like this even in my wildest dreams -- another goal in the dying minutes," expressed Merino, who previously netted a stoppage-time goal during Spain's 1-0 defeat of Portugal on Monday.

He further noted, "I thought it would take a long time to repeat a feat like that... and I managed it in the very next game!".

The deadlock broke late in the match with the score tied 1-1, when Spain's Pau Cubarsi launched a low, long-range shot.

Belgian substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens failed to hold the ball cleanly, allowing it to bounce toward Merino—who had only entered the pitch two minutes prior.

The Arsenal midfielder reacted quickest to the rebound and fired the ball into the net.

Rejecting the notion that the dramatic finish was purely coincidental, Merino credited his clutch performance to "going out there with drive" and possessing the self-belief to "contribute wherever you're needed," adding, "That's exactly what I did".

Reflecting on La Roja's journey to the final four, Merino observed that their current World Cup run has proved "less flashy" compared to their triumphant European Championship campaign two years prior.

"It was a struggle today," he conceded.

The hard-fought win over the Red Devils paves the way for a high-stakes semi-final showdown against tournament favorites France, a side Spain famously defeated 2-1 during the Euros.

"It's going to be a head-to-head battle. That's how semifinals always are. We're going into the match against France hungry and eager," stated Merino.

"It's an elite-level match, the highest level. We are two teams playing at the very top of our game. We'll try to do our absolute best".

Source: AFP