Both Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scored as dominant Spain claimed a made look easy victory against France 2-0 during their semi final clash at the ongoing 2026 World Cup.
The match saw the European Champions continue their dominance over the Les Bleus, effectively ending the French chances of going on to win the 2026 World Cup trophy.
From the opening whistle, Spain’s game plan was evident as they absorb French pressure and exploit transitions with precision while creating some early opportunities on goal.
Under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish side proved once again why they have been the most difficult team to break down in the tournament.
They dominated possession brilliantly while their opponent struggled with hopes of hitting on a counter attack anytime the ball gets to them.
France, featuring the formidable attacking duo of Kylian Mappe and Michael Olise, pushed forward with intent but found themselves consistently stopped by a disciplined Spanish defensive line.
Spain’s performance was better than ever as they kept good discipline. Their showed why they have conceded only one goal throughout the entire competition.
The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute. The spark for the breakthrough was provided by teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, whose clever movement drew a foul from Lucas Digne inside the penalty area.
Mikel Oyarzabal stepped up to the spot and coolly converted, marking his fifth goal of the tournament and shifting the momentum firmly into Spain’s favor with the scoreline 1-0.
France fought desperately to find an equalizer, but their frustration mounted. Adrien Rabiot received an early yellow card, and as the clock ticked down, the French attack became increasingly disjointed against the relentless Spanish press.
The resumption of the second half was expected to see the Les Blues turn things around, but that wasn’t the case as they still couldn’t get a hold of possession.
More opportunities kept coming with both national teams getting their moment on goal, but they couldn’t do anything that would have changed the 1-0 scoreline.
The knockout blow arrived in the 58th minute. Pedro Porro, the Tottenham defender, executed a brilliant one-two passing sequence with Dani Olmo.
The maneuver cut through the French defense, allowing Porro to bury his strike and extend Spain’s lead to 2-0. Though the Blues side continued to push for a late miracle, their efforts were largely neutralized.
It almost looked embarrassing, but luckily the goal from Yamal that would have effectively sealed the win even earlier was disallowed from staying as play carried on.
Eventually, the match came to an end with Spain clinching a 2-0 victory against France to confirm their place in the final for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
This victory marks the third consecutive year that Spain has eliminated France in the semifinal stage of a major tournament, echoing previous results in both the European Championships and the Nations League.
France quest to World glory comes to an end, but they still stand a chance of bowing out on a high at a third place match which will take place on Saturday.
Spain journey continues to the final, where they will carry the momentum of their impregnable defense and the clinical efficiency of their attack which has been unstoppable against every opponent.
As the celebrations begin in the Spanish camp, the world now turns its eyes to the remaining semifinal matchup, knowing that whoever advances will face a Spanish team playing with the confidence of champions.
Spain will face the winner between the England vs Argentina match which is expected to be another heated one that involves Lionel Messi and Harry Kane who has been outstanding throughout this tournament.
