Spain stun favoured France 2-0 to advance to World Cup final

SPAIN is headed back to the World Cup final for the second time after denying France a third straight appearance following a 2-0 victory in a semifinal in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday (Jul 14).

Pedro Porro followed Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute by doubling the count in the 58th minute.

Spain, the 2010 champion, will play in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday against the winner of the reigning champion Argentina-England match in Atlanta on Wednesday.

France plays in the third-place match in Miami on Saturday.

Spain has a 37-match unbeaten streak (30 wins, seven draws) to tie Italy’s European record.

The best chance for France came in the 82nd minute when Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon raced midway between the penalty area and the center circle to challenge Desire Doue for the ball.

Doue got to it but Simon ran back and cut the angle to make a save inside the box as two Spain defenders guarded the goal line. Simon (three saves) is the first men’s keeper to have six shutouts in a single World Cup.

Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute put Spain ahead.

France trailed for the first time in the tournament when Oyarzabal scored his fifth goal of the World Cup with a shot to the upper right corner.

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Lamine Yamal, a day after his 19th birthday, drew a foul by Lucas Digne on the right side of the box.

A long cross by Marc Cucurella was popped in the air by Digne. As he attempted a volley, Yamal snuck in behind him and as the ball hit his left shoulder, Dinge kicked him in the left thigh, prompting Yamal to fall.

More misfortune befell France at the half-hour mark when veteran defender William Saliba left with an injury and was replaced by Max Lacroix, whose only action in the tournament was 90 minutes in the group game against Norway.

Nearing 40 minutes in, Yamal set up an onrushing Fabian Ruiz but defender Dayot Upamecano was able to get a foot on the attempt to deflect the ball for a corner kick.

France was seeking to become the third nation to qualify for three straight finals, joining West Germany (1982, 1986 and 1990) and Brazil (1994, 1998 and 2002).

The French won the World Cup in 2018 and were runner-up to Argentina in 2022. REUTERS