World Cup semi-final: France 0 Spain 2 (Oyarzabal 22, Porro 58) Death in the Texan afternoon. Spain’s matador instincts have seen them advance through this epic tournament with imperious assurance, with defensive and technical excellence, consummate passing and the capacity to dazzle. So it went for France. The favourites for the tournament crashed out on a day when their European opponents both toyed and frustrated them and struck two goals with cold ruthlessness.This World Cup semi-final was the first of tantalising and storied pairings in the final week of the sprawling tournament. The four favourites remorselessly burned off the other 44 competing countries so that the highest-ranking teams were the last four standing. It’s a conceit that will appeal to the host nation, the strongest surviving: American primeval. And now, Spain await the winners of England and Argentina.These countries had met on international football fields 38 times over a 96-year history but its difficult to imagine any setting more alien to their respective cultures: this futuristic high-tech glass and steel dome, quadruple decked, roofed in and sealed off from the burning Dallas heat.The long prelude was laden with Lone Star State references; the five Superbowl banners hanging hung on the rafters and the aristocrats took to the field after a vein-busting introduction from Bruce Buffer, the veteran announcer of US boxing classics. The respective anthems offered the gauge of the number of fans who’d made across from the Old World: a small choir gave a lusty version of La Marseillaise from behind Maignan’s goal. But they were about as far removed from Bastille Day as is possible.Beforehand, the respective managers, Didier Deschamps and Luis de la Fuente exchanged a warm embrace in the tunnel. The advance press conferences had been studies in mutual respect. Because of that, the encounter was always likely to be slow-burning and cautious.Michael Olise of France competes for the ball against Marc Cucurella and Rodri. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty So it went. The first quarter-as broken by the nuisance hydration/advertisement breaks – reflected the fear that for all the extravagant attacking wealth, caution and defensive rigour would dominate. And yet France retired for that water-huddle baffled to find themselves trailing for the first time in this tournament.The goal came from a combination of basic error, and the subconscious terror Lamine Yamal evokes in defenders. Spain attacked along the left flank and Marc Curcurella delivered an aimless kind of cross which hopped in the France box. The ball rose at a treacherous pace and Lucas Digne controlling header was loose.The France left-back was in a terrible place now, with his eyes on the ball and blind to the sight that every spectator in the arena could see; Yamal closing in with that gliding stride of his. Digne lashed at the ball and connected with the Spanish teenager. France grumbled at the penalty decision but only in the way that the French grumble about most things. Mikel Oyarzabal’s 22nd minute conversion was nerveless and extended his remarkable scoring run of 17 goals in the last 18 games.By then, the contested exchanges had become defined by a rashness. Adrien Rabiot picked up a yellow for tackling Olmo right on the chalk line of the France box; Michael Olise risked a card for a heavy and late challenge on Rodri and Cucurella, excellent all day, picked up a yellow for clattering into Olise.Spain threatened again in the 35th minute, when Baena hared on to Unai Simón’s paean to Packie Bonner, hoofing the ball down the middle of the park. A rising panic for Kounde and Maignan was solved by the offside flag. Spain pressed and a hurried clearance by Maignan, under pressure, saw the ball spill to Baena. Rodri played Yamal, who skipped on to back-heeled return by Olmo. Fabian Luiz arrived to meet Yamal’s fixing delivery, but Dayot Upamecano came lumbering into view with a sensationally timed tackle to force a corner.Pedro Porro of Spain scores his team's second goal past Mike Maignan of France. Photograph: Kevin C Cox/Getty For the first time, France had lost the regal assurance with which they advanced to this point. French misery was compounded by an injury to centre-half William Saliba, forcing Didier Deschamps to introduce Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix to his back line.At half time, he retired Rabiot too, still on that early yellow, for Manu Kone and sat back to bite his nails, along with the rest of France. The issue for Deschamps was that Spain controlled the pace of the match, were passing through his midfield with sumptuous ease, where Rodri the dominant figure in that sector. Too often they relied on killer crossfield passes to free up Mbappé but for almost an hour, their talisman was isolated and starved of possession.On the long afternoon ticked: Barcola kept pace and then outmuscled Yamal as he cantered forward in the 53rd minute. Yamal’s every touch demanded an extraordinary degree of attention from his French elders.High up in the third tier, the travelling Spanish contingent began to contemplate a historic afternoon. Deschamps swapped Barcola for Désiré Doue. But the French were addled now by the variety and precision of Spain’s passing game. In the 58th minute, their right flank was breached but Yamal was not the source: Pedro Porro played Olmo, again lurking on the French chalk line and then raced on to an outrageous flick and had time to pick his spot.Two-nil and before the French could absorb their suddenly bleak position, Yamal was free, racing on to Curbarsi’s through ball and offering France another example of that rapacious left foot. That third goal was cancelled after a very tight offside decision.All that France had now was time. And Rayan Cherki, who replaced Olise, with France desperate now to impose themselves on the afternoon. In the 76th minute came the striking sight of Yamal chasing down Mbappé and felling the French star with a heavy challenge. Deschamps, exasperated, howled for heavier retribution. Simon intervened with heroic bravery in the final 10 minutes, but by then France’s hopes were fading fast and Mbappé’s 88th minute free-kick flashing over Simon’s crossbar captured their frustrations. Outplayed, out-thought and, suddenly, out of the World Cup. Nobody will enjoy watching Wednesday’s seismic and fraught collision of English and Argentinian temperament and history more than the Spanish, who made Texas their own on Bastille Day.World Cup Wallchart