Spain defeats France 2-0 to reach World Cup final
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Spain defeated France 2-0 to advance to the World Cup final.
- Lamine Yamal earned a penalty, converted by Mikel Oyarzabal, and Pedro Porro doubled the lead.
- Spain's defense, led by Laporte and Cubarsรญ, has conceded only one goal in seven games.
Spain has once again proven its dominance over France, securing a 2-0 victory to reach the World Cup final. This marks the third consecutive time Spain has defeated France in major tournaments, following previous wins in the Euro Cup and UEFA Nations League. The Spanish team delivered a masterful performance, effectively neutralizing France's star-studded squad and earning their place in the championship match.
The rematch did not happen because, simply put, Spain has France's number. Zero and count three.
The decisive moment came when Lamine Yamal drew a penalty within the French box. Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted the spot-kick in the 22nd minute to give Spain the lead. Pedro Porro extended their advantage in the 58th minute with a well-executed one-two passing play with Dani Olmo, finishing like a seasoned striker.
The team of Luis de la Fuente was capable of nullifying the most powerful squad on the planet and deservedly will fight for the World Cup trophy.
Spain's defensive solidity was on full display, with the central defensive pairing of Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsรญ proving impenetrable. Throughout the tournament, they have conceded only a single goal in seven matches. Even France's formidable attacking lineup, featuring Kylian Mbappรฉ, Ousmane Dembelรฉ, and others, failed to create significant scoring opportunities against Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simรณn.
The dream is still alive
Simรณn had a commanding presence in goal, effectively dealing with crosses and even playing as a sweeper on two occasions with precision. While a seemingly brilliant goal from Lamine Yamal was disallowed due to a marginal offside call, Spain's victory was comprehensive. After a 16-year absence, Spain is now back in the World Cup final, aiming to secure their second star.
Let's go for it!
Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.