Spain march into World Cup final, crush French dream

A goal from a defender and a clever penalty were all Spain needed to crush France's dream of reaching a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final. The La Roja defeated Les Bleus 2-0 in the first semifinal at the Dallas Stadium.

Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty (22nd minute) came after a clever piece of play by 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, while the second goal was the result of a beautiful Spanish buildup that ended with defender Pedro Porro getting his name on the scoresheet (58th minute).

For France, a solid midfield display was evidently missing. Adrien Rabiot received an early yellow card and played cautiously in the first half before being taken off at half-time. Hopes of a miraculous display from Michael Olise also remained unfulfilled, while Ousmane Dembele's influence was barely felt for the majority of the game.

Spain, meanwhile, dominated the midfield, with Dani Olmo acting as the crucial bridge between defence and attack. He was also involved in creating the second goal.

Spurs full-back Porro played a one-two with Olmo on the edge of the area, before running through and guiding the ball past Maignan from inside the box. Olmo was fouled as he played the pass, but it did not matter as Spain had already created the perfect opportunity.

Their first goal was also a moment to remember. Lucas Digne kicked Yamal as he tried to clear a high ball inside the penalty box. The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation. Although the contact from Digne was unintentional, Spain were handed a golden opportunity, and Oyarzabal made no mistake from the spot.

After taking the lead, Spain had the upper hand, while France struggled to find their rhythm. The French attacks lacked the sharpness that was displayed in their earlier games. Unai Simon also made some crucial interventions, while Kylian Mbappe attempted dangerous runs at the Spanish defence.

In the 38th minute, France almost gifted Spain a chance to double their lead. A poor clearance from Mike Maignan was won by Spain high up the pitch. After some brilliant one-touch football, they created an opportunity for Fabian Ruiz, but Dayot Upamecano made a timely challenge, with the ball deflecting off him for a corner.

While France showed more character in the second half, Spain had a third goal ruled out for offside. Yamal's brilliant solo run resulted in a goal, but the teenager was marginally offside.

France almost found a breakthrough in the 81st minute. Desire Doue got a chance after Simon raced out of goal to clear a lofted pass and headed straight to the French forward. Despite being a long way from the goal, Doue had time to set up his shot and attempted to lob Simon. However, he failed to get enough height on the effort, allowing the goalkeeper to make the save.

Frustration also started creeping into the French players' game. Mbappe was booked for a needless foul on Simon. After the goalkeeper caught the ball, the France captain pushed him during his run-up and earned a yellow card.

In the dying minutes, France tried to raid the Spanish box, but breaking a composed defence required more than just pressure. One of the final opportunities came in the form of a free-kick just outside the box in the 88th minute. Mbappe stepped up but sent his effort over the bar.

In injury time, Dembele finally made his presence felt, creating a couple of chances as France searched for a miracle. In the dying seconds, the Les Bleus had one last moment of hope, but Dembele's shot was kept out by Simon — a fitting sign that nothing was going France's way on the night.