Spain needed a late winner to survive Belgium's fightback. Fabián Ruiz put Spain ahead in the 30th minute, but Charles De Ketelaere leveled it before halftime off a Timothy Castagne assist. Spain controlled 68% of possession, with their right flank carrying most of the traffic (44% of attacks) — but it was a smaller central slice, just over a fifth of their output, doing the real damage: 2.05 expected goals and 11 shots. Belgium's counters, working off a fraction of the ball, still kept pace deep into the second half. The game stayed level until the 88th minute, when Mikel Merino rose to head home the winner, sparking a card-filled finish as Belgium threw everyone forward for an equalizer that never came. Spain move on to the semi-final; Belgium's golden generation runs out of road.