Spain Knock France Out to Reach the World Cup Final on Merit

The first of the World Cup semi-finals served up a heavyweight clash between two of the giants of world football. France came into the match on the back of a relatively comfortable run, during which they produced dazzling displays and controlled most of their games without much trouble, led by their star Kylian Mbappé, who topped the scoring charts with 8 goals, alongside the lightning-quick Ousmane Dembélé and his rocket-like shooting.

Spain, by contrast, had begun their campaign with a shock goalless draw against Cape Verde, a result that worried the fans of the "Matadors". But the coach managed to steady the ship, gradually sharpening the team's performances from one match to the next, until they had become one of the leading contenders for the title.

Once the semi-final got under way, Spain imposed their style from the opening minutes, dominating possession and applying relentless pressure that unsettled France and dragged them away from their usual level. That superiority earned a penalty, won by Lamine Yamal and coolly converted by Mikel Oyarzabal to put Spain ahead.

At the start of the second half, Spain kept up their dominance, and Nico Williams added the second goal to seal their ticket to the World Cup final with a deserved 2-0 win, while France looked lost and unable to find their way back into the contest, their dream ending at the semi-final stage.