Mbappé Starts to Threaten Spain’s Back Line
Sixteen minutes into play, Mbappé nearly has a breakaway, charging downfield and fighting three Spanish defenders on his own before ultimately being shut down, settling with his team’s first corner.
France Gets First Yellow Card, Spain Fails to Score on Free Kick
Spain is awarded its first free kick deep in the attacking zone less than 10 minutes into the game. French midfielder Adrien Rabiot is given a yellow card for an illegal hit on Spain’s Dani Olmo right at the top of the penalty box.
The close proximity to the French net gives Spain the opportunity to turn a free kick into a shot on goal. The shot is taken by Álex Baena right into a wall of French defenders, and efforts by Lamine Yamal to recover are of no avail.
Spain Kicks Off Semifinal
A post-anthem coin toss gives Spain first possession of the game. But their control doesn’t last long as France is already pressing in on Unai Simón’s goal just over one minute into play with Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé getting noticeable touches.
Possession continues to be contested across midfield and the score is 0–0 going into the fifth minute of play.
Moment of Silence Held for Nice, France, Attack
Both teams gathered at center field for a moment of silence in honor of the 10th anniversary of a Bastille Day terrorist attack in Nice, France.
Just before that, the visibly mixed crowd at Dallas Stadium erupted in song, singing the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise.”
Mbappé, Dembélé Start for France, Oyarzabal and Yamal for Spain
Stars from both benches are starting this World Cup semifinal.
On the French side, Mbappé will look to extend his lead for the Golden Boot. Alone up front in a 4-2-3-1 configuration, he has Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and Bradley Barcola in the line behind him. In goal, Mike Maignan will look to earn his fifth clean sheet of the tournament.
For Spain, a 4-1-2-3 configuration puts Mikel Oyarzabal, Yamal, and Álex Baena up front while Simón starts in net, looking for a record sixth clean sheet this World Cup.
Up to this point, Spain has remained unbeaten when Yamal is in the starting lineup, logging 20 wins and six draws.
France, Spain Clash in World Cup Semifinal
A battle of the Pyrenees is set get underway in Dallas on July 14 as Mbappé leads the French “Le Bleus” against Simón and the Spanish Roja to determine which nation will advance to the World Cup final.
France will be looking to at least repeat its run in 2022; a performance that got them into the championship final. That year, Mbappé also earned the coveted Golden Boot trophy—given to whoever scores the most goals throughout the tournament. As of July 14 Mbappé is leading that competition. He’s tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi with eight goals, but is considered the frontrunner because he has more assists (three, versus Messi’s two).
Mbappé, his goal-scoring teammate Dembélé, and the rest of the French 11 will have to become only the second team across the entire World Cup to get a ball to the back of the Spanish net.
Simón, Spain’s goalkeeper, set a world record for the longest stretch of gameplay without conceding a goal. He enters the semifinals with five clean sheets and only one goal made against him from Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere.
Spain is also bringing goal-scoring firepower of its own with Oyarzabal, who leads his team with four goals, and 18-year-old wunderkind Yamal.
Whoever wins the game will face either Argentina or England in the final match outside New York City on July 19. Whoever loses will face the loser of the Argentina–England game for a third-place playoff in Miami on July 18.
