image source, Getty Images
image caption, Spain reached the World Cup final for the second time….IN
Spain reached the World Cup final by defeating France. In the semi-finals, played at the Dallas Stadium, he spectacularly defeated the French team, which was considered the favorite.
Luis de la Fuente’s side were in complete control of a France team full of star strikers. There weren’t many chances in the match, but Spain maintained control of the game and, thanks to goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro, secured their place in Sunday’s final.
Spain were awarded a penalty midway through the first half. Due to an error by France left-back Lucas Dinay, striker Lamin Yamal was hit hard while trying to clear the ball, and the referee awarded a penalty.
Oyarzabal confidently sent the penalty into the corner of the goal post. By taking the lead, Spain further strengthened their lead in the match.
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After a poor performance in the first half, France were expected to come back strongly in the second half. But the opposite happened. Spain dominated the game again.
Pedro Porro played a brilliant one-two with Dani Olmo before scoring the second goal near the near post.
After this, France had a little more than half an hour to come back, but it did not work out against a very disciplined Spanish team.
Spain have only conceded one goal in the entire tournament so far.
disciplined sport in Spain
image source, Kaz Photography/Getty Images
image caption, Spaniard Lamin Yamal may not have scored a goal, but he played brilliantly.
By the end of the match, Spain showed complete calm, composure and excellent play and confidently won.
Here France’s dream of reaching the World Cup final for the third time in a row was shattered. Now he will play on Saturday in the match for third place. This tournament will also be the final stop in coach Didi Deshaun’s 14-year tenure as he will leave the team after the competition.
Spain, meanwhile, will now travel to New Jersey to await the winner of the second semi-final between England and Argentina on Wednesday.
Spain will now aim to win the World Cup title for a second time.
Spain’s defense outweighs France’s attack
image source, Kaz Photography/Getty Images
image caption, Spain’s strong defense kept France’s star player Kylian Mbappe in check.
This match was described as a competition between the strongest attacking team of this World Cup and the team with the strongest defense of the tournament.
But in the end the fight turned out to be one-sided. Spain’s defenders also kept France’s star player Kylian Mbappe under control and prevented him from becoming a threat to their team.
France impressed with their attack many times throughout the tournament. While Spain played its game calmly and balancedly, without making headlines. His game may not have looked as attractive, but if anyone had any doubts about his abilities, they should now be completely dispelled.
The greatest strength of the Spanish team that won Euro 2024 was the excellent play on the flanks of Lamin Yamal and Nico Williams.
But this time, due to injuries, the impact of both was limited and so far both have only managed to score one goal together. However, as the tournament progressed, Lamin Yamal’s influence continued to increase.
Spain reached the World Cup final for only the second time. She will try to match the great team of 2010 that won the World Cup trophy in South Africa.
Rodri’s performance in midfield against France was excellent. He stopped many attacks early, laid the foundation for his team’s attack and controlled the tempo throughout the match.
After a long absence due to a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, he now appears to be close to the same level that won him the Ballon d’Or in 2024.
Together with him, Fabian Ruiz also showed an excellent game, who justified the decision to select him in the team instead of Barcelona playmaker Pedri. The defense also showed its strength once again.
That France had to wait until the 81st minute to get their first shot on target was a result not only of the defenders and goalkeeper, but also of the strategy of the entire team and coach de la Fuente.
It is often said that only the team that shows its best results at the right time wins major tournaments. Looking at how Spain beat a strong team like France, it seems like this is when they reach their peak.
image source, Thomas Calle/NurPhoto via Getty Images
image caption, Fans celebrate the victory in Madrid, the capital of Spain.
Poor results for France
image source, Rivera/Jam Media/Getty Images
At many points in this World Cup, it seemed as if there were only days left and only France would eventually lift the trophy.
France’s star attack, led by Kylian Mbappe, was in excellent form throughout the tournament and the team easily qualified for the semi-finals.
France beat Sweden comfortably in the playoffs, showed composure and discipline against the formidable Paraguay, and then defeated Morocco with ease.
Mbappe was accompanied by the likes of Michel Olize, Ousmane Dembele and two-time Champions League winners Bradley Barcola and Désiré Douhet. In such a situation, even if Mbappe’s performance ever falls short of expectations, there will still be players in the team who can change the course of the match.
But this time it didn’t happen. Spain played brilliantly, but at the same time France also showed their weakest result at this World Cup. The team, until now famous for fast and aggressive football, looked ineffective in this match.
France fell behind for the first time in the tournament due to an error by Lucas Dinet. A few minutes later his problems were further exacerbated when William Saliba was ruled out of the game due to injury.
The French team arrived with the intention of allowing their most dangerous strikers to play freely, but this did not happen. Spain’s brilliant tactics, especially in the second half, ensured that France’s most dangerous players only got the ball in places where they could easily be stopped.
It seemed that if France scored a goal, the outcome of the match could change. But Spain controlled the game so much with and without the ball that it became very difficult for France to score goals.
The journey ended very disappointingly for the French team, who had produced some exciting performances throughout the tournament.
He had hoped to bid farewell to coach Didier Deschamps, giving him a second world title during his tenure.
But now the last match between the countries will be only the playoff for third place.
However, in this match Mbappe will have the chance to further strengthen his claims in the fight for the Golden Boot. He can also become the top scorer in World Cup history. But now they will have to wait the next four years to get the trophy they and France came here for.
Published by the BBC News Team.