Dani Olmo had space ahead of him, the Belgian defence retreating and another Spain attack beginning to gather speed. Then referee Michael Oliver stepped directly into his path.
The collision sent Olmo crashing to the turf, stopping the move before it reached the penalty area. Oliver immediately raised his hands, checked on the midfielder, and apologised for the mistake. Olmo initially looked frustrated, but the tension disappeared when he stood up and smiled.
Spain was leading 1 to 0 at the time after Fabian Ruiz punished Belgium in the 30th minute. The quarterfinal was already developing into a tight contest at SoFi Stadium, and Oliver’s accidental challenge provided its strangest moment.
It did not decide the match. Belgium soon produced a response of its own, while an injury to Thibaut Courtois exposed backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens to Spain’s late pressure. Mikel Merino eventually took advantage to secure a place in the World Cup semifinals.
Oliver Accidentally Ends a Promising Spain Attack
Spain was still carrying the momentum from their opening goal when Olmo collected the ball and drove forward. Oliver attempted to move away from the developing attack, but both men changed direction at the same time.
The heavy shoulder-to-shoulder contact dropped Olmo immediately. Spain’s attack died with him, and jeers began to spread around the stadium as supporters realised the referee had blocked the midfielder’s route.
Oliver instantly owned the mistake. He stopped, raised both hands, and apologised directly to Olmo rather than attempting to ignore the contact.
Nigel Adderley joked that the referee deserved a booking. Dean Ashton was more concerned about the impact and noticed that Olmo appeared to have suffered a minor cut inside his mouth.
“I think he’s got a little bit of blood in his mouth, Dani Olmo,” Dean Ashton said on the talkSPORT broadcast.
Olmo did not require lengthy treatment and was able to continue. His smile brought the brief interruption to an end, but Spain was given little time to relax.
Oliver’s collision lasted only a few seconds. Belgium’s response changed the direction of the next 50 minutes.
Belgium Responds as Spain Loses Control of Their Lead
Spain had gone ahead after Olmo’s first-time attempt forced Courtois into a save. The Belgium goalkeeper could only push the ball into the path of Ruiz, who reacted quickly and converted the rebound.
The goal reflected Spain’s sharper start, but Belgium refused to allow the match to drift away from them.
Jeremy Doku helped drive the equalising move in the 40th minute. Kevin De Bruyne then released Timothy Castagne, whose cross found Charles De Ketelaere inside the penalty area. The forward beat Pau Cubarsi to the ball and directed his header beyond Unai Simón.
Belgium entered halftime level after surviving Spain’s strongest spell. Their defensive shape improved after the break, while Doku continued to offer an outlet whenever Spain committed players forward.
Courtois also became increasingly important. He denied Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal as Spain tried to regain control, producing the kind of saves Belgium needed in a knockout match.
The contest changed again in the 71st minute. Courtois suffered a leg muscle problem and could not continue, forcing Lammens into the action with the score still tied at 1 to 1.
The substitution removed Belgium’s most experienced defensive presence at the point when Spain was increasing the pressure. Lammens entered cold and immediately faced crosses, shots, and crowded penalty area situations as Belgium dropped closer to their own goal.
Courtois had repeatedly prevented Spain from converting that pressure. His replacement would not receive the same margin for error.
Merino Strikes After Courtois Leaves the Field
Luis de la Fuente introduced Merino in the 86th minute, asking the midfielder to attack the spaces opening up around a tiring Belgium defence.
Less than 2 minutes later, the Courtois substitution became decisive.
Cubarsi drove a low attempt through a crowded penalty area. Lammens reached the ball but could not hold it, spilling the rebound directly into a dangerous area.
With Courtois no longer available to control the first shot, Belgium’s defenders were suddenly exposed. Merino reacted before them, attacked the loose ball, and finished from close range in the 88th minute.
The goal restored Spain’s lead when extra time appeared increasingly likely.
Belgium pushed forward after the restart, but Spain managed the closing stages and protected their 2 to 1 advantage. The result booked a semifinal meeting with France and ended Belgium’s tournament after a disciplined quarterfinal performance.
Oliver’s collision remained the game’s most unusual moment, but the decisive events came at both ends of the pitch. Ruiz followed in after Courtois denied Olmo. De Ketelaere punished Spain before halftime. Merino then reacted fastest after Belgium’s backup goalkeeper failed to control the late shot.
By the final whistle, Oliver’s mistake had become a curious footnote rather than a controversy. Olmo was unharmed, the apology had been accepted, and Spain was still moving forward.
READ MORE: Super-Sub Mikel Merino Strikes Late To Send Spain Into The World Cup Semifinals
FAQs
Q1. What happened between Michael Oliver and Dani Olmo?
A. Oliver accidentally stepped into Olmo’s path during a Spain attack. The collision knocked Olmo to the ground and stopped the move.
Q2. Did Michael Oliver apologise to Dani Olmo?
A. Yes. Oliver immediately raised his hands, checked on Olmo and apologised for the accidental collision.
Q3. Was Dani Olmo injured in the collision?
A. Olmo appeared to suffer a minor cut inside his mouth. He quickly returned to his feet and continued playing.
Q4. Who scored Spain’s winning goal against Belgium?
A. Mikel Merino scored from close range in the 88th minute after Senne Lammens failed to hold Pau Cubarsi’s shot.
Q5. Why did Senne Lammens replace Thibaut Courtois?
A. Courtois suffered a leg muscle problem in the second half. Lammens replaced him with the score tied at 1 to 1.
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