Level 1 — Absolute Beginner
Spain played Belgium in a big World Cup game. Spain won the game 2 to 1.
A player named Mikel Merino scored the winning goal. He scored it very late in the game.
Now Spain will play France next. This next game is called a semifinal. It will happen in Dallas on July 14.
Two more teams will also play big games this Saturday. Norway will play England, and Argentina will play Switzerland. The winners will join Spain and France in the semifinals.
- goal
- a point scored in soccer when the ball goes into the net
- winner
- the goal or action that decides who wins a game
- semifinal
- a match played to decide who will go to the final
- tournament
- a series of games played to find one overall winner
- clash
- an exciting match between two strong teams
- quarterfinal
- a match played before the semifinal, among the last eight teams
- stadium
- a large building where sports games are played
- defense
- the part of a team that tries to stop the other team from scoring
Level 2 — Elementary
Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in a thrilling World Cup quarterfinal, with midfielder Mikel Merino scoring a dramatic winning goal in the 88th minute. The victory makes Spain the first team to reach the tournament's semifinals.
Merino, who plays for Arsenal in the Premier League, has become something of a hero for Spain this tournament. Earlier in the competition he also scored a crucial late goal in the quarterfinals of a major European tournament, and fans have started calling him Spain's 'miracle man' for his habit of scoring at the last moment.
Spain will now face France in the semifinal on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Spain had built its reputation this tournament on a strong defense, keeping five clean sheets in its first five matches before finally conceding a goal against Belgium.
The tournament's final two quarterfinals take place on Saturday. Erling Haaland's Norway will meet Harry Kane's England in Miami, while Lionel Messi's Argentina takes on Switzerland in Kansas City. The winners of those two matches will join Spain and France in the semifinals, which will be held on July 15 in Atlanta.
- midfielder
- a soccer player who plays in the middle area of the field
- thrilling
- very exciting
- crucial
- extremely important, often deciding the outcome of something
- reputation
- the general opinion people have about someone or something
- clean sheet
- a soccer match in which a team does not allow the other team to score
- concede
- to allow the opposing team to score a goal
- competition
- an event in which people or teams try to win against each other
- tournament
- a series of games played to find one overall winner
Level 3 — Intermediate
Spain edged past Belgium 2-1 in a tense World Cup quarterfinal on Friday, with Mikel Merino netting a stoppage-time winner in the 88th minute to send his side through to the semifinals as the tournament's first confirmed finalist. The result extended a remarkable run of late-match heroics for the Arsenal midfielder, who has developed a habit of delivering decisive goals under pressure throughout the competition.
Belgium, led by the returning Kevin De Bruyne, mounted a determined fightback after falling behind, briefly threatening to end Spain's tournament before Merino's intervention settled the tie. The win extends Spain's reputation as one of the tournament's most disciplined sides, having conceded just once across six matches after building its run on a defense that produced five consecutive clean sheets.
Spain will face France on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, a rematch of sorts given both nations' recent history in major tournaments. France arrived in the semifinal after eliminating Morocco earlier in the week, powered by Kylian Mbappe, who remains locked in a tight battle with Lionel Messi for the tournament's Golden Boot.
Attention now turns to Saturday's remaining quarterfinals, which will determine the tournament's final two semifinalists. Erling Haaland's Norway takes on Harry Kane's England in Miami, while Messi's Argentina meets Switzerland in Kansas City, with both winners advancing to face Spain or France in Atlanta on July 15.
- stoppage-time
- extra minutes added to the end of a soccer match to make up for stopped play
- heroics
- impressive, brave, or decisive actions, especially in sport
- fightback
- an effort to recover from a losing position
- intervention
- an action taken to change the outcome of a situation
- disciplined
- showing controlled, well-organized behavior
- eliminate
- to remove a team from a tournament by defeating it
- locked
- held tightly in a close, ongoing contest
- advance
- to move forward to the next stage of a competition
Level 4 — Advanced
Spain narrowly overcame Belgium 2-1 in a taut World Cup quarterfinal on Friday, with Mikel Merino converting a stoppage-time winner in the 88th minute to propel his side into the semifinals as the tournament's first confirmed finalist. The result extended a remarkable pattern of late-match decisiveness from the Arsenal midfielder, who has repeatedly delivered pivotal interventions under duress throughout the competition, cementing his emerging reputation as Spain's talismanic figure.
Belgium, marshaled by the returning Kevin De Bruyne, staged a spirited riposte after falling behind, briefly imperiling Spain's advancement before Merino's late strike settled the contest decisively. The victory reinforces Spain's standing as one of the tournament's most rigorously disciplined sides, having surrendered only a single goal across six matches after a run built upon five consecutive shutouts.
Spain now confronts France on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, a marquee semifinal pairing two of the competition's most formidable sides. France advanced by dispatching Morocco earlier in the week, propelled by Kylian Mbappe, whose ongoing pursuit of the Golden Boot remains tightly contested against Lionel Messi's own prolific tally.
Focus now shifts to Saturday's remaining quarterfinals, which will complete the semifinal lineup. Erling Haaland's Norway squares off against Harry Kane's England in Miami, while Messi's Argentina confronts Switzerland in Kansas City, with the respective victors set to face Spain or France in Atlanta on July 15.
- taut
- tense and full of anxious anticipation
- propel
- to drive or push forward, often with force
- talismanic
- regarded as bringing luck or having a special, decisive influence
- riposte
- a quick, sharp reply or counterattack
- imperil
- to put something at serious risk of harm or failure
- rigorously
- in a strict, thorough, and demanding manner
- marquee
- of exceptional importance or prominence
- prolific
- producing results, such as goals, in great abundance
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