By FRANCIS JOSEPH
France played their worst game of the FIFA World Cup tournament, going down 0-2 to Spain in the first semi-final at the Dallas Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
Now Spain awaits the result of Wednesday’s other semi-final between England and defending champions, Argentina, for the final on Sunday in New Jersey.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute to send Spain 1-0. That score remained at half-time. In the 58th minute, Pedro Porro made it 2-0 and the writing was on the wall for France – the 2018 winners and the losing finalists in 2022.
Now France must play on Saturday for pride to win the third place.
After the match, France’s captain, Kylian Mbappe, said he was very disappointed at the result. He said, “It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country that chance to dream, to make history… Now, it’s something we have to face with our heads held high. There is a tremendous amount of disappointment; I can’t quite find the words for it. We’ll have to lift our heads up, go on holiday, and start again. Football waits for no one. Other things will be at stake at club and international level.
“”Even when we recovered the ball, our first touches were not good enough. That gives a defeat. It is a huge disappointment. But if we are objective, we didn’t put all the ingredients to go to the final.”
Spain frustrated France at one end and punished them at the other to deservedly win their semi-final at Dallas Stadium. France started as the slight favourites and, though Kylian Mbappe threatened on the break, Lamine Yamal gave Luis de la Fuente’s side the game’s first big chance. The winger, a day after his 19th birthday, got to the ball before Lucas Digne and was clipped inside the box. Oyarzabal struck the resulting penalty past spot-kick-saving specialist Mike Maignan.
The advantage was amplified when Porro played a palatial one-two with Dani Olmo, taking the return impeccably and burying the ball in the bottom corner.
France, with Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki on, pushed to get back into a game, but goalkeeper Unai Simon acted astutely as a sweeper-keeper and Marc Cucurella made an excellent challenge on Mbappe. The final whistle sparked ecstasy for the Spaniards and agony for the French.
Didier Deschamps’ team will have a shot at bronze on Saturday, when Mbappe could boost his hopes for another adidas Golden Boot.
