Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scored as Spain produced a dominant tactical performance to shut down Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise, securing a place in the World Cup final.
Spain blanked France 2-0 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro propelling La Roja into the World Cup final for the first time since 2010.
Spain imposed their structural tempo early. A clever offensive sequence forced a penalty inside the French box in the 22nd minute, which Oyarzabal calmly converted to break the deadlock. Spain had a massive opening to double their lead before halftime, but Fabián Ruiz was denied at the absolute last second by a spectacular sliding block from Dayot Upamecano.
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Right-back Porro sealed the victory close to the hour mark in the 58th minute, brilliantly exchanging a succession of quick passes with Dani Olmo before side-footing a clinical finish past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Spain’s defence completely smothered the French focal points. Tournament playmaker Michael Olise was kept entirely quiet by Marc Cucurella, and captain Kylian Mbappé failed to find any critical spaces to engineer a comeback.
Spain finished with nine shots, three on target, while France managed five shots, three on target. Spanish possession stood at 56 percent compared to France’s 44 percent.
The victory serves as a major corrective in Spain’s historical tournament tracking against Les Bleus. Spain now has 14 wins to France’s 18 in 39 meetings, with seven draws. This was only their second-ever World Cup match; France won the first clash 3-1 back in 2006.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Spain will play the winner of the Argentina vs. England match in Sunday’s World Cup final.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on July 15, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
