Spain Beats Belgium 2-1 Amid Controversial Penalty Call in World Cup Semifinal

Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 to advance to the World Cup semifinals, where they faced France in a match marked by contentious refereeing decisions. Spain took an early lead in the 22nd minute when Oyarzabal scored from a penalty awarded after Amin Yamal fouled Lucas Digne. Although the foul was clear, French players contested the penalty, arguing Yamal controlled the ball with his upper arm. The referee upheld the penalty, a decision supported by refereeing analysts from both French outlet L'Equipe and Spanish Marca, who agreed the hand was close to the body and the penalty was justified.

France also had grievances about the officiating, particularly regarding a harsh tackle by Michael Olise on Spain's Rodri, which went unpunished with no yellow card issued. The match featured relatively few yellow and red cards overall, with an early yellow shown to Adrien Rabiot for fouling Dani Olmo near the box, and another to Cocuoria for a foul on Olise. Rabiot later committed a severe foul on Ruiz but avoided a second yellow card.

The game’s refereeing sparked debate on both sides, highlighting the challenges officials face in high-stakes matches. Spain’s victory sets up a semifinal clash against France, with the outcome likely to be influenced by continued scrutiny of refereeing decisions.