Spain 2-0 France - the semifinal was won in two moments

Spain beat France 2-0 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington to reach their first World Cup final since 2010. Mikel Oyarzabal converted in the 22nd minute after Lamine Yamal drew a foul from Lucas Digne; Pedro Porro made it 2-0 in the 58th after a give-and-go with Dani Olmo. 1

Match line: July 14, 3:00 p.m. local at AT&T Stadium, Arlington / 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT. 2

This was not a lucky smash-and-grab. ESPN's match page gave Spain a 1.63-0.31 edge in expected goals, 51% possession and both of the match's big chances. FIFA's match centre listed 10 attempts apiece, which makes the contrast sharper: France got into the game, but Spain got into the dangerous parts of it. 34

Yamal's penalty-winning burst was the first warning. Porro's finish was the second: a clean exchange with Olmo, then a finish into the far corner before France could turn the move into a duel. Rayan Cherki's post-match diagnosis was blunt: Spain were better at winning second balls and reclaiming possession. That is the tactical story in plain English. France were never allowed to make the match messy enough for Mbappe to own it. 1

Stats highlight: Spain's sixth clean sheet in seven matches, and only two goals conceded across the tournament. 1

Verdict: Spain did not overpower France; they made France play every important moment on Spain's terms.