FOOTBALL – Spain suffocated France deep in the heart of Texas yesterday, powering into their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 2010 with a spellbinding 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.
From the opening whistle, the Spaniards wrapped themselves around France like an anaconda, tightening their grip with every wave of pressing and every spell of possession until the life had been squeezed from a French attack that had looked irresistible throughout the tournament.
The European champions are now within one victory of completing a double of the game’s biggest prizes.
They will discover their final opponents today when England face Argentina in Atlanta for a place in Sunday’s showpiece.
For a country that waited generations for its first World Cup, a second title 16 years later would herald the arrival of another Spanish golden era, this one built around Lamine Yamal and a side as comfortable without mercy as it is with the ball.
Expectation and tension were high in Arlington as ringside announcer Bruce Buffer, a man who has never knowingly used an indoor voice, bellowed the teams onto the pitch to launch a heavyweight clash worthy of the introduction.
A contest that had promised so much, however, swiftly tilted into a lop-sided affair as the Spaniards controlled the tempo as comprehensively as the ball, and left France chasing shadows.
France had come armed with the most lethal attack in world football, but it made little difference.
Spain monopolised the ball, closed up the space and starved Les Bleus of the one thing their forwards needed – possession.
Incredibly for an international team, the Spaniards played like the best-drilled of club sides, telepathic in their movement and passing.
France were reduced to spectators almost from the start and mustered just two shots on target.
It took 22 minutes for Spain to break the deadlock.
Marc Cucurella swung a deep cross into the French area that Lucas Digne brought down on his chest, but as the left back tried to clear, Yamal stepped across him and was caught by the follow through.
The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
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