Spain takes another huge step towards its fourth UEFA Euro Cup title with a narrow 2-1 victory over the French in Munich. Luis de la Fuente’s side took the hard route, coming back from a goal behind to secure the victory. Randal Kolo Muani put France ahead with a close-range header. Lamine Yamal equalized with one of the goals of the tournament before Dani Olmo’s excellence gave Spain the winning boost.
The Spanish population will be proud of the performance of their national team, which was able to shift gears seamlessly according to the game situation. In the second half, La Roja produced a defensive showpiece to counter France’s consistent danger. Spain will now await either England or the Netherlands in Berlin for the UEFA Euro 2024 final.
Lamine Yamal produces yet another moment of magic
The European Championship in Germany has witnessed the rise of a once-in-a-generation player, Lamine Yamal. The soon-to-be 17-year-old grew through the ranks at FC Barcelona. Yamal established himself as a regular starter for the Catalan club last season and has not looked back since. France was the latest victim of the genius of the teenager.
At a time when Spain looked out of sorts dealing with the French threat, Yamal took the matter into his own hands and sent a beautiful curling shot beyond the reach of Mike Maignan in the 21ˢᵗ minute. He was crucial for the second goal as well, with the intelligence to drift inside and allow Jesus Navas to deliver the cross. The Barcelona prodigy is well on his way to being crowned the Young Player of the Tournament.
Didier Deschamps’ selections prove costly for France
France was considered the favorite heading into the semi-final considering the talent in its ranks as well as the major absentees in the Spanish squad. However, some bizarre personnel choices from Didier Deschamps did not allow Les Bleus to stamp their authority on the game. The midfield was the area most affected by the decisions of the French coach, resulting in Spain easily dominating the center of the park. “Spain was better in control, we were not a cautious team”, Deschamps was quick to admit his side’s errors after the game.
Eduardo Camavinga was handed a surprising drop to the bench after his brilliance against Portugal in the quarters and looked like a real handful coming off the bench against Spain. Ousmane Dembele was once again ineffective on the right wing and was only replaced 20 minutes from the end of the regulation time. These tactical blunders ultimately proved to be the reason for France’s elimination.