Sports Mole analyses Spain’s narrow 2-1 win over France in the Euro 2024 semi-finals, including highlights, man of the match and stats.
Spain will appear in Sunday’s Euro 2024 final in Berlin after they came from a goal down to beat France 2-1 in the semi-finals.
Randal Kolo Muani‘s ninth-minute opener put La Roja onto the back foot, before Lamine Yamal produced a spectacular long-range strike to pull his country level in the 21st minute.
The tournament’s highest scorers then turned the game in their favour when Dani Olmo netted his third goal of the tournament with the aid of Jules Kounde‘s deflection.
After showcasing their attacking quality in the first period, Spain demonstrated their defensive strength in the second half to protect their lead and advance to their first major tournament final since 2012.
HIGHLIGHTS
5th min: Yamal creates the game’s first chance. The 16-year-old produces an inch-perfect cross to find the head of Fabian Ruiz, but the midfielder is unable to keep his effort on target.
9th min: GOAL! SPAIN 0-1 FRANCE (KOLO MUANI)
France strike first and it is their first goal from open play at Euro 2024. Just moments after Ruiz spurns his header, Randal Kolo Muani rises high at the back post to nod in from Kylian Mbappe‘s lofted cross. Mbappy is playing without his facemask and it is obviously having the desired effect.
France lead after only eight minutes! 😲
Randal Kolo Muani scores their first goal from open play this tournament.#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #ESPFRA pic.twitter.com/fL83Ns2Aqv
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 9, 2024
21st min: GOAL! SPAIN 1-1 FRANCE (YAMAL)
Just as France appear to be on top, Yamal conjures up a spectacular equaliser to pull his country level. The teenager sets the ball out of his feet to fire an unstoppable 25-yard strike off the inside of the post.
LAMINE YAMAL 😮💨😮💨😮💨
An absolute screamer from the 16-year-old!#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #ESPFRA pic.twitter.com/z4AaZwwWJp
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 9, 2024
25th min: GOAL! SPAIN 2-1 FRANCE (OLMO)
Unbelievable drama! Navas’s cross is headed as far away as Dani Olmo. The RB Leipzig attacker neatly manoeuvres the ball to create the space to unleash a low shot to find the bottom corner despite Jules Kounde’s efforts to block the strike.
HALF TIME: SPAIN 2-1 FRANCE
52nd min: Tchouameni threatens. The Real Madrid midfielder wins the header from Ousmane Dembele‘s corner, but he can only guide his effort straight at Unai Simon.
76th min: France spurn a glorious opportunity. A loose ball breaks towards Theo Hernandez, who blazed his wayward shot over the bar with his weaker right foot.
81st min: Yamal attempts to recreate his first half-strike. The teenager curls the ball over the crossbar after showcasing his nimble footwork to carve out the room for a shot.
86th min: Was that the final chance? Mbappe drives into the box before cutting inside and firing harmlessly over Simon’s crossbar.
FULL TIME: SPAIN 2-1 FRANCE
MAN OF THE MATCH – LAMINE YAMAL
© Reuters
Yamal produced a performance of an established star rather than that of a player who is just days from his 17th birthday.
The Barcelona youngster scored one of the greatest goals in European Championship history, while always posing a threat down Spain’s right flank.
STANDOUT MOMENT
© Reuters
In the 25th minute, Yamal produced a goal of the tournament contender to become the youngest player to score at the European Championships or World Cup, surpassing a record previously held by Brazilian great Pele.
The 16-year-old showed great skill and intelligence to quickly shift the ball right and then to the left, creating the room to curl a picturesque left-foot strike off the inside of the post.
BEST STATS
38 – Jesús Navas (38 years 231 days) becomes the oldest outfield player to play in a Euro+World Cup semi-final, surpassing Fritz Walter (37 years 236 days) and Gunnar Gren (37 years 236 days), who faced each other in the 1958 World Cup semi-final.
Experience. pic.twitter.com/9RKL932PP4
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) July 9, 2024
16 – Lamine Yamal 🇪🇸 (16 years, 362 days) could become tonight the youngest player to make an appearance in World Cup or Euro semi-final, surpassing record by Pelé 🇧🇷 in World Cup 1958 (17 years, 244 days), also against France 🇫🇷. Destiny. pic.twitter.com/SEYFMoOPOI
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) July 9, 2024
16 – Youngest players in history to score in EURO + World Cup:
1 – LAMINE YAMAL 🇪🇸 (16 years and 362 days).
2 – Pelé 🇧🇷 (17 years and 239 days)
3 – Manuel Rosas 🇲🇽 (18 years and 93 days)
4 – Gavi 🇪🇸 (18 years and 110 days)Diamond. pic.twitter.com/3u3CET1pTm
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) July 9, 2024
MATCH STATS
Possession: SPAIN 58-42 FRANCE
Shots: SPAIN 6-9 FRANCE
Shots on target: SPAIN 2-3 FRANCE
Corners: SPAIN 4-6 FRANCE
Fouls: SPAIN 9-14 FRANCE
LINEUPS
SPAIN (4-2-3-1): Simon; Navas (Vivian 57′), Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo (Merino 77′), Williams; Morata (Oyarzabal 77′)
FRANCE (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante (Griezmann 62′), Tchouameni, Rabiot (Camavinga 62′); Dembele (Giroud 79′), Mbappe, Kolo Muani (Barcola 62′)
No Data Analysis info