Spain produced a masterclass in composure to outwit France 2-0 in Dallas on Tuesday and move into the final of the World Cup, at which they will face either England or Argentina.
Issued on: 15/07/2026 - 00:40Modified: 15/07/2026 - 08:47
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Luis De la Fuente's side seized control of the semi-final mid way through the first-half when France defender Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal in the penalty area. Referee Ivan Barton awarded a penalty and Mikel Oyarzabal swept the ball firmly to the left of France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. It was the first time France had trailed during the World Cup. Spain braced to face France's firepower in World Cup semi-final Their woes only increased five minutes after falling behind. Defensive stalwart William Saliba went down with an injury and was replaced by Maxence Lacroix. The pyrotechnics of forwards Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé failed to ignite. Instead, it was the Spain skipper Rodri who shone. With midfield enforcers Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi, he denied the French the time and space to unleash their skills. Rodri continually switched play to full-backs Marc Cucurella on the left and Pedro Porro on the right. Defender turns poacher It was on one of Porro's forward forays that Spain doubled their advantage. He played a pass to Dani Olmo who sent the ball back to him. Porro advanced into the penalty area and slotted a shot past Maignan into the net. France, who had scored 16 goals on their way to the semis, required two more strikes in 30 minutes for parity against a team who had conceded only once in the six previous games. Spain, who won the title in 2010, will play the winners of Wednesday's semi-final between defending champions Argentina and England at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
