Spain defeats France 2-0 to advance to World Cup final
Spain secured a 2-0 victory over France in a World Cup semifinal match held at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This win propels Spain into the final for the first time in 16 years, marking their second appearance in the championship match. The team will face either England or Argentina in the final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
The match on Tuesday, July 14, was only the second time these two nations have met in a World Cup fixture. Their previous encounter was in 2006, where France emerged victorious in a Round of 16 elimination game. However, Spain entered this semifinal as the favored side, having won their two most recent meetings against France, including the 2024 Euro Semifinals.
Spain’s Dominant Performance
Spain controlled the pace and rhythm of the game, effectively neutralizing France‘s offensive capabilities. For the first 80 minutes of the match, France registered no shots on goal. This was a significant departure for a team that had been averaging nearly three goals per game in the tournament. Kylian Mbappé, who leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, was notably stifled throughout the contest.
Spain‘s defensive strength was evident, as they have conceded only one goal throughout the entire tournament. Their offensive opportunities were capitalized upon, with the first goal coming in the 20th minute. A penalty was awarded after Lucas Digne‘s attempt to clear the ball resulted in contact with Lamine Yamal. Mikel Oyarzabal converted the penalty kick, putting Spain ahead 1-0. Pedro Porro then doubled Spain‘s lead in the 58th minute.
France, despite being considered a top team in the tournament and having not conceded a goal since the group stage finale—a streak of 358 minutes—was unable to break through Spain‘s defense. Spain‘s consistent success against France includes previous victories in the 2024 European Championship and last summer’s Nations League semifinals.
Road to the Final
Spain‘s journey to the semifinal included a draw with Cape Verde in their opener and a late goal needed to overcome Belgium in the quarterfinal. Despite these challenges, their defensive record remained strong. France, on the other hand, had a relatively untested run in the tournament leading up to this match, having “steamrolled” Morocco 2-0 in a previous game.
Lamine Yamal, who celebrated his 19th birthday in Dallas on Monday, expressed his wish to defeat France and ultimately win Spain‘s second World Cup title. France‘s coach, Didier Deschamps, had acknowledged Spain‘s previous wins against his team but stated his focus was on the upcoming match. This semifinal marked the final match to be played at Dallas Stadium in Arlington during this tournament.
France had been chasing its third consecutive final appearance, having won in 2018 and reaching the final in 2022. Spain‘s last final appearance was when they captured the 2010 World Cup. France entered the semifinal leading the tournament with 16 goals scored, with Mbappé contributing eight goals and three assists, and Ousmane Dembele scoring five goals. Spain‘s offense has seen contributions from multiple players, including Mikel Merino with two goals and Mikel Oyarzabal with four goals and one assist. The World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026.
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Source: eu.usatoday.com
