Spain Beat France to Reach World Cup Final

Spain delivered a masterclass in composure and tactical discipline to beat France 2-0 on Tuesday, booking a place in only the second FIFA World Cup final in the country's history and ending France's hopes of reaching a third consecutive final.

The European champions dominated the semifinal at Dallas Stadium, controlling possession, dictating the tempo and neutralising a French side led by Kylian Mbappé, who was kept largely anonymous throughout the contest.

Spain broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted a penalty after teenage winger Lamine Yamal was brought down inside the area by Lucas Digne. The goal was Oyarzabal's fifth of the tournament, equalling the Spanish record for the most goals scored by a player in a single World Cup, alongside Emilio Butragueño and David Villa.

France struggled to recover from the setback and suffered another blow eight minutes later when central defender William Saliba was forced off with an injury, disrupting Didier Deschamps' defensive plans.

Spain continued to control proceedings after the break and effectively sealed the match in the 58th minute with a sweeping move. Dani Olmo exchanged passes with Pedro Porro, who burst into the penalty area before firing a clinical finish beyond the French goalkeeper to double the advantage.

Despite introducing fresh attacking players, France rarely threatened Spain's well-organised defence, which recorded its sixth clean sheet of the tournament. Mbappé, one of the competition's biggest stars, found little space against Spain's disciplined backline and failed to inspire a comeback.

The victory sends Luis de la Fuente's side into their first World Cup final since winning the trophy in South Africa in 2010. It also extends Spain's unbeaten run to 37 international matches, equalling Italy's all-time record.

For France, the defeat ends an impressive era of consistency at the World Cup after lifting the title in 2018 and finishing runners-up in 2022.

Spain will now face the winner of Wednesday's second semifinal between Argentina and England in Sunday's final at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, where La Roja will bid to become world champions for the second time.