UEFA Euro 2024 – Semi Final
Spain……….2
France………1
Spain advanced to the EURO 2024 final after a comeback victory over France.
Spain secured their spot in the UEFA EURO 2024 final by overcoming a deficit to win against France in Munich.
This highly anticipated clash featured the tournament’s joint-top scorers against the lowest-scoring team left in the competition. It was no shock that the in-form Spanish side nearly took an early lead. Lamine Yamal, who is the youngest player to participate in a EURO or FIFA World Cup semi-final, sent a superb cross towards the far post, but Fabián Ruiz’s header missed the mark.
France, however, quickly responded by scoring just four minutes later. Kylian Mbappé, positioned on the left side of the penalty area, delivered a perfect cross to Randal Kolo Muani, who headed in France’s fourth goal of the tournament from close range. Yet, Spain managed to equalise and then take the lead within just over fifteen minutes.
After retrieving the ball outside the France penalty area, Yamal leveled the score for Spain with a magnificent curling shot, becoming the youngest scorer in EURO history. Dani Olmo, who had netted one goal and assisted another in the quarter-final against Germany, scored again four minutes after Yamal’s goal, his low shot deflecting off defender Jules Koundé before finding its way past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Maignan had to be alert to prevent Nico Williams from scoring into an open goal shortly after the second half began, rushing out to execute a perfectly-timed sliding tackle. Despite this, France continued to pose a threat, and Unai Simón had to use a strong left arm to block Ousmane Dembélé’s tight-angle shot just before the hour mark.
Clear scoring opportunities were scarce for the EURO 2016 finalists. Theo Hernández missed their best chance to equalise with fifteen minutes left, shooting over the crossbar after latching onto a loose ball in the area. Mbappé also nearly scored with a powerful shot that narrowly missed the bar, but Didier Deschamps’ side found no late salvation as Spain maintained their lead to reach their fifth EURO final.
Line-ups
Spain: Unai Simón; Jesús Navas (Vivian 58), Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz; Yamal (Ferran Torres 90+3), Olmo (Merino 76), Williams (Zubimendi 90+3); Morata (Oyarzabal 76)
France: Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernández; Kanté (Griezmann 62), Tchouameni, Rabiot (Camavinga 62); Dembélé (Giroud 79), Kolo Muani (Barcola 62); Mbappé
