Senne Lammens endured a nightmare World Cup debut for Belgium after replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois, costing his side a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Spain. The Manchester United goalkeeper, who came on for the tearful Real Madrid star with 20 minutes remaining, made an unforced error that led to Spain's winning goal.
Costly mistake
As Spain pushed for a late winner, space opened in front of Pau Cubarsi. The Barcelona youngster fired a tame effort from distance, which Lammens attempted to gather. However, the ball bounced off his chest, falling to Mikel Merino, who fired the rebound into the roof of the net. Lammens sat on the grass with his hands on his head in despair, while cameras showed Courtois consoling him at full-time.
Pressure and recovery
There had been calls for Lammens to start over Courtois after an impressive first season at Old Trafford, but his mistake on the biggest stage shows he still has much to learn. The 24-year-old is expected to recover from this setback and feature in future World Cups for Belgium.
Match details
Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain with a close-range effort, but Charles De Ketelaere equalized with a header just before half-time. No other Manchester United players featured in the match, as the number representing the club decreased after Brazil and Portugal were eliminated in the last 16.
United players still in the tournament
Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo are the only Manchester United stars still active at the World Cup, with both set to play in quarter-finals for Argentina and England respectively. Their exploits will delay their return to pre-season, further depleting United's midfield.
Transfer targets
Manchester United are looking to strengthen their midfield, with Andrey Santos set to join from Chelsea. An agreement for Atalanta's Ederson has been in place, and despite claims the deal has collapsed, the Manchester Evening News understands the club does not consider the move off. Alex Scott, Tyler Adams, and Felix Nmecha are among other midfielders linked if the Ederson deal falls through.
