6.28amAnalysis: Poor defending from Kone gives Spain their secondBy Vince RugariClassic Pedro Porro. Tottenham Hotspur fans have long known he is a striker/winger trapped in a fullback’s body, and he got to live out his dreams right there. What a move that was – but he was helped by some very poor defending from Kouadio Kone, France’s half-time substitute, who for whatever reason chose not to track his run into the box. Now they’ve got all sorts of work to do.Porro gets his moment.Getty Images6.26amYamal goal ruled offsideBy It would have been Spain’s third as Yamal’s mazy run ends with a cheeky dink past Maignan and the ball in the back of the net, but he’s pinged for offside before he can even celebrate.France 0-2 Spain, 62 minutes6.20amGOAL! Porro scores second for SpainBy He doesn’t even have a chance because Olmo picks out Porro and he takes a couple of touches before finishing in the bottom right.Luis de la Fuente pumps his fists in the air, gently enough to remind everyone this was always a foregone conclusion.France 0-2 Spain, 58 minutesPedro Porro doubles Spain’s lead.Getty ImagesPorro celebrates.Getty Images6.20amDoue replaces BarcolaBy There you go. This pair have been chopping and changing starting positions on the left this tournament and the manager has decided to see if the other can provide the missing spark.France 0-1 Spain, 56 minutes6.18amSpain in total controlBy Some things are happening. Lacroix flies into Oyarzabal from behind and gives away a free kick. Yamal is pulled up for offside as he tries in vain to overcome the acute angle he’s run himself on to at the byline. Oyarzabal shoots high and wide.Lamine Yamal before being called off-side.Getty ImagesSpain are in control and not letting it go. France are the opposite since the break and you wonder if Deschamps ia about to make some more changes to try and fix what isn’t working.France 0-1 Spain, 54 minutes6.12amHistory is against FranceBy Interesting stat provided by the commentary team: there have been only two World Cup semi-finals to date in which the team trailing at half-time has gone on to win. They were Argentina beating Italy in 1990 and Croatia beating England in 2018.Anyway, let’s see if Kone can give his side a leg-up in a midfield being controlled by Spain.France 0-1 Spain, 49 minutesSpain fans at a watch party in New York City’s Rockefeller Centre react after their team scored.AP Photo/Adam Gray6.10amThe second half is under way!By And Deschamps has hooked Rabiot, which is unsurprising and prudent given he’s sitting on a yellow card and flirting heavily with another. Kone replaces him for the second half.France 0-1 Spain, 47 minutesAn assistant referee talks to France head coach Didier Deschamps. AP Photo/Julio Cortez6.06amThe best and worst moments of the World CupBy For nearly a century, the FIFA World Cup has carried fans throughout the world to great heights of unity and joy. This year’s tournament, which is coming to a close, revealed some of the best of America. Scottish fans were welcomed by the city of Boston, and supposedly drank the city dry, while Japanese fans in Dallas marvelled in the delights of Texas barbecue.Then there was the game itself and its stars, such as Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham.But a maelstrom of complications threatened the sense of inclusion this year, particularly due to host country United States being at war with Iran.Deputy editor Nick Ralston today discusses the joy and tension he witnessed at matches in the United States and Canada - as well as that viral Aussie chant about Donald Trump.6.03amHalf-time statisticsBy 5.58amAnalysis at half-time: ‘Tactical stalemate’By Vince RugariGood morning folks. Great to see/hear two connections to Australian soccer in that first half: one, that the last time France came from behind to win a World Cup match was against Graham Arnold’s Socceroos four years ago, and two, that none other than former Central Coast Mariners striker Usain Bolt is in the house.Usain Bolt greets fans at the Spain v France game. AP Photo/Julio CortezAs for the football! So far, so good for Spain. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how that half could have unfolded any better for them. France looked unstoppable before this; now they have been held to just two shots in 45 minutes, neither of them on target, which is pretty phenomenal work by La Roja to hold back an attack so stacked. Indeed, clear-cut chances have been few and far between, with the decisive moment so far coming from a somewhat accidental penalty.A tactical stalemate like this is often what you get when you pit two teams of such quality against each other; it never lives up to what you imagine in your head. We can only hope that, for entertainment’s sake, this opens up a little bit more after the break. Surely it will, given the stakes.Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente speaks to Lamine Yamal.AP Photo/Ashley Landis1 of 3