France booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals last night, but the talking point wasn't their victory. Instead, everyone is discussing Kylian Mbappe's bizarre penalty incident in Boston. France won the match 2-0 to eliminate Morocco, but Mbappe's penalty miss became a lightning rod.

After Noussair Mazraoui fouled the French superstar, a tedious VAR review halted play. Mbappe stood over the spot for 3 minutes and 10 seconds before he was allowed to strike. Yassine Bounou easily saved the delayed effort, sparking instant debate on how long reviews should take.

Erling Haaland did not hide his frustration with the lengthy stoppage. The Norwegian striker took to Snapchat, writing that needing to wait five minutes to take a penalty is too long. As reported by the Mirror, Haaland's viral post highlighted the growing anger over officials freezing out players during match-defining moments.

While France prepares for the next round, the focus shifts to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Tonight, Spain takes on Belgium to decide who travels to Dallas to face Mbappe's squad. Referee Michael Oliver will run the whistle, and he must avoid the slow-motion traps that plagued yesterday's fixture.

The Spanish fortress and its passive patterns

This quarter-final matches two sides with completely opposing defensive records. Spain enters the match having kept a clean sheet in every single tournament game. Luis de la Fuente has drilled his side into a compact, ball-retaining block that refuses to give away high-value chances.

Goalkeeper Unai Simon has set a record by going over 600 minutes without conceding. They choked the life out of Portugal in the Round of 16, securing a 1-0 win through Mikel Merino's header in the ninety-first minute. However, Spain's cautious approach has drawn criticism for lacking dynamic final-third movements.

Against Portugal, Spain completed 640 passes but generated an xG of just 0.82 before stoppage time. They dominated the ball but often looked content to pass sideways, waiting for the opponent to lose patience. This pass-heavy style can be mind-numbing to watch when the opponent refuses to press.

If Belgium can copy Portugal's low block, Spain might find themselves passing in circles again. But Rudi Garcia's Belgium is not built to sit back and absorb pressure for ninety minutes. The Red Devils have been a chaotic, high-scoring machine throughout this North American tournament.

Belgium's chaotic threat and transition danger

They reached this stage after surviving a wild Round of 32 clash against Senegal. Belgium fell behind 2-0 early but clawed their way back to win 3-2 in extra time. Youri Tielemans secured the victory with a penalty in the final moments of play.

That comeback injected belief into Garcia's squad, which they carried into the next round. They dismantled the United States 4-1 in the Round of 16, displaying lethal efficiency on the counter-attack. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice in that match, showing he can execute in transition under extreme pressure.

With Romelu Lukaku also finding the net regularly, Belgium poses the greatest threat Spain's defense has faced. Lukaku's physical presence will test Aymeric Laporte and Robin Le Normand in a way Cristiano Ronaldo could not. The Belgian forward excels at pinning center-backs and creating space for late runners like De Ketelaere.

Spain's defensive record is impressive, but it has not been tested by elite physical forwards. Their opponents so far have lacked the directness to exploit Spain's high defensive line. If Belgium can win the first ball from direct clearances, Spain will find their midfielders caught out of position.

The midfield stranglehold and final verdict

The key tactical battle will occur in the middle of the pitch. Rodri remains the undisputed anchor of this Spanish team, controlling the tempo and stopping counter-attacks before they start. His pass completion rate sits at ninety-four percent, and he rarely loses possession under pressure.

Belgium must find a way to bypass Rodri if they want to feed Lukaku. If Garcia deploys Tielemans and Hans Vanaken as a double pivot, they will struggle to match Spain's technical quality. Spain will look to overload the midfield, creating a three-versus-two advantage that starves Belgium of the ball.

To prevent this, Belgium needs to use their wingers to press Spain's full-backs immediately. If Dani Carvajal and Alejandro Grimaldo are allowed to push high, Spain will pin Belgium in their own half. That scenario plays directly into De la Fuente's hands, allowing Spain to choke the game.

We must also look at Spain's weapons on the flanks. Lamine Yamal has been the standout teenager of the tournament, completing four dribbles per game. His ability to cut inside on his left foot creates constant panic for opposing left-backs.

If Belgium leaves Arthur Theate isolated against Yamal, Spain will exploit that side of the pitch repeatedly. Yamal's decision-making has improved significantly, making him a dual threat as a scorer and creator. He will likely target Belgium's slow lateral movements in transition.

Let's talk about Belgium's defensive vulnerabilities. While they scored seven goals in their last two matches, they also conceded three. Their defensive transition is slow, especially when their full-backs push forward to support the attack.

Senegal exposed this weakness repeatedly, slicing through Belgium's midfield with simple vertical passes. Spain does not play as directly as Senegal, but their quick combination play can be even more destructive. If Spain wins the ball in Belgium's half, Oyarzabal will find space between the center-backs.

This brings us to the ultimate prediction for tonight's clash. Belgium is riding an eighteen-match unbeaten streak under Garcia. That run ends tonight.

They will not out-talent Spain, nor will they match their tactical discipline. Spain's ability to control the tempo will eventually exhaust the Belgian midfield. Once fatigue sets in, Spain's bench will decide the tie.

De la Fuente has shown great faith in his substitutes, using Merino and Dani Olmo to inject energy. Merino's late winner against Portugal proved that Spain has the depth to break deadlocks. Belgium lacks that same quality of bench options to alter the game's direction.

Expect Spain to dominate possession early, keeping Belgium deep in their own territory. Lukaku will be isolated, forced to chase long clearances with little support from his midfielders. Unai Simon's clean sheet record might finally end, but Spain will still control the outcome.

Spain will secure a 2-1 victory, ending Belgium's unbeaten run and booking their semi-final spot. The Belgian defense will hold firm for an hour, but Yamal will find the breakthrough. Spain will then seal the game late on the counter-attack as Belgium pushes for an equalizer.

This result will set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash in Dallas on July 14. Spain vs France will be the ultimate test of style, matching Spain's control against French star power. Prepare for a tactical chess match, but tonight, Spain takes the first step.