Euro 2024: Spain one step closer to cup with semifinal win over France
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Munich: Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo scored quick goals to help Spain come back from behind and defeat France 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semifinal late on Tuesday.
Yamal, a 16-year-old emerging star, became the youngest Euros goalscorer. Spain started strongly and had the opening opportunity of the game when Fabian Ruiz headed over at the far post after nearly five minutes, reports Xinhua.
In the 9th minute, France, who had reached the last four without scoring from open play, broke the deadlock when Kylian Mbappe's in-swinging cross allowed Randal Kolo Muani to head home from close range.
Spain pressed relentlessly for an equalizer but initially found it difficult to penetrate France's well-organized defence.
However, La Roja's efforts were rewarded when Yamal curled the ball into the top corner of the net in the 21st minute, IANS reported.
Things worsened for Les Bleus just four minutes later when Olmo danced his way through the French defence to make it 2-1.
After the restart, Didier Deschamps' men, trailing for the first time in the competition, pushed forward and pinned Spain in their territory.
Spain kept all their men behind the ball. France's Aurelien Tchouameni headed into the arms of Unai Simon before the goalkeeper was forced to palm away Ousmane Dembele's dangerous cross.
France and Spain traded attacks in the closing stages, with Mbappe and Yamal going close from the edge of the area. Spain's defence held firm for the remainder of the match to book their place in the final, where they will meet the winner of the other semifinal between England and the Netherlands.
"We were able to open the scoring, which was great, but Spain played the game better than we did. We pushed until the end," said France coach Deschamps.