Oyarzabal and Porro Send Spain Into World Cup Final, France Eliminated 0-2

Spain’s Defence Stifles France’s Star Attack

The match was billed as the tournament’s standout fixture, two sides who had not lost a game entering the semi-finals, squaring off in front of a packed AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Spain, comfortably the stronger side on all measures coming in, quickly showed why.

France were the first to feel the pressure, and it was a foul by Lucas Digne on Lamine Yamal inside the box that handed Spain the opening goal: Oyarzabal stepped up and converted the penalty on 22 minutes.

Spain extended their lead on 58 minutes when Porro combined with Dani Olmo before finishing past Maignan. France’s central midfielder Adrien Rabiot, booked as early as the ninth minute, did not re-emerge for the second half, replaced at the break. The absence of a holding presence visibly hurt France’s ability to disrupt Spain in transition.

France pushed in the closing stages Mbappe, Dembele, and substitute Doue all tested Unai Simon, but Spain’s defence, which had conceded just one goal in six previous matches at this tournament, held firm. Mbappe collected a yellow card in the 86th minute for serious foul play, ending his evening early in practical terms. France’s wait for a first World Cup title continues.

Digne Foul and Porro Finish Decide the Tie

The match turned on a Digne foul on Yamal in the France penalty area on 22 minutes: Oyarzabal dispatched the penalty to give Spain a lead they would not relinquish. Porro then doubled the advantage on 58 minutes, finishing after a combination with Dani Olmo, to end France’s realistic hopes of a comeback.

Mbappe’s yellow card for serious foul play in the 86th minute, his second booking of the tournament added a disciplinary note to what was already a damaging defeat for Les Bleus.

Porro the Match-Winner From Right Back

Pedro Porro was rated the standout performer of the match. The right back was a constant threat going forward and his second-half finish, the goal that sealed the tie capped an authoritative display across ninety minutes.

Porro’s combination with Dani Olmo for the second goal underlined Spain’s fluency in transition and was the moment that extinguished any lingering French hope of a response.

Deschamps Under Pressure, Spain Head to Final

Didier Deschamps acknowledged after the match that France were not technically sound enough to handle Spain, and with the tournament now over for Les Bleus bar the third-place play-off on Saturday, scrutiny will intensify over whether this squad under-performed.

Mbappe, Dembele, and Olise among the competition’s most decorated attackers, were collectively neutralised, and the manner of defeat leaves questions that will not be resolved quickly.

For Spain, the path ahead is clear: Luis de la Fuente’s side travel to MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, on Sunday to face England or Argentina in the final. Spain are now unbeaten in 37 consecutive matches across all competitions, a joint record for a European nation and arrive in the final as the tournament’s most complete team. Any discipline carried forward from this match will be a monitoring point ahead of Sunday.