Belgium Lose World Cup Quarter-Final to Spain 2-1 as Keeper Switch Backfires

Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in a World Cup quarter-final on Friday. Garcia replaced injured first-choice goalkeeper Courtois at 71 minutes; substitute keeper Lammens then spilled a Pau Cubarsí shot, allowing Mikel Merino to tap in the winner in the 86th minute. Garcia is now under pressure over both the decision and his future as Belgium coach. Belgium are eliminated from the World Cup, and the manner of the defeat — a coach-enforced goalkeeping substitution that directly led to the decisive goal — has put Garcia's position under serious scrutiny.