Spain advance to World Cup final with 2-0 win over France
ARLINGTON, TEXAS: Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot after a heady play by teenager Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro added a second, and Spain advanced to their first World Cup final since 2010 with a 2-0 victory over France on Tuesday.
A day after his 19th birthday, Yamal was denied a goal by a close offside call that came soon after Porro’s give-and-go with Dani Olmo in the 58th minute had put Spain 2-0 up. But it was Yamal’s clever play against a veteran defender that had put Spain in front.
Spain will face either defending champions Argentina or England on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey; those teams meet on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Kylian Mbappé and France, FIFA’s top-ranked side, had been attempting to become only the third team to reach three consecutive World Cup finals. Instead they will play in the third-place play-off in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday, the day before the final at MetLife Stadium, across the river from New York City.
This win on football’s biggest stage marked the third summer in a row that Spain have beaten France in a tournament semi-final. Yamal scored in a 2-1 victory in the 2024 European Championship semi-finals just days before his 17th birthday, and La Roja won 5-4 in Nations League play last year.
After a quarter-final win over Belgium last Friday, Yamal said he believed France should fear Spain. Those words proved accurate.
Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute followed Yamal drawing a foul when he was kicked by defender Lucas Digne.
After a poor first touch with his head, Digne attempted to clear the ball when Yamal raced in from behind to challenge in the penalty area. The ball struck the leaping teenager’s elbow before he was kicked by Digne, who was making his 63rd appearance for France six days before his 33rd birthday.
Oyarzabal’s fifth goal of this year’s World Cup was the first time either team had trailed in their seven games in this tournament. It was his 30th goal in 60 internationals for Spain.
By RSS/AP
