Stuttgart.- In a goals festival, Spain defeated 5-4 a France This Thursday in Stuttgart in its semifinal of the League of Nations and on Sunday he will defend his title in this UEFA competition in front of Portugal In Munich.
The “red” was complicated after having put 5-1, with goals from Nico Williams (22), Mikel Merino (26), Pedri (55) and a double of Lamine Yamal (54 penalty and 67), while Kylian Mbappé (59) had also scored a penalty. In the final stretch, the “bleus” stayed one step away from the deed by cutting with many of Rayan Cherki (79), a Dani Vivian Autogol (83) and a final of Randal Kolo Muani (90+3).
Spain did not score five goals to France from a friendly in Colombes (near Paris) won 5-1 in 1949.
After the titles in the League of Nations of 2023 and in the Eurocup of 2024, the team of Luis de la Fuente aspires to a third season final celebrating a title, on a Sunday that promises strong emotions to Spanish fans if Carlos Alcaraz also manages to qualify for the Roland Garros final.
No PSG effect
France, in full euphoria for the recent European title of Paris Saint-Germain, was confident of being able to charge in this match the rematch of the Eurocup semifinal that he lost to Spain, but it was finally his rival who came out a recent pending account, that of the final he had lost to the ‘bleus’ in the final of the League of Nations in 2021.
At the start of the France party he had been close to advancing: Unai Simon cut a pass of Mbappé’s death to Desiré Doué in 7 and Theo Hernández sent the crossbar in 12.
When the Red was most distressed, Nico Williams’s liberating goalkeeper arrived in 22: Lamine Yamal gave from the band for Mikel Oyarzabal, who on his back to the arch managed to find the hole for a short pass for the Affrue of the Athletic, who did not forgive Mike Maignan.
Merino, Talisman in Stuttgart
The second blow soon arrived and did especially damage.
Oyarzabal was again in charge of giving the assistance, this time with a pass between the lines that left Merino face to face with the Galo goalkeeper, whom he beat with a satin shot in the 26.
The Arsenal player thus marked at the Stuttgart stadium where he was already the protagonist last year in the Eurocup, with somewhat in the last sigh of the extension so that Spain eliminated the German host in the quarterfinals.
While Ousmane Dembélé despaired with shots that were again and again with Unai Simon, Spain could even expand the account before the break, but Dean Huijsen saw how his so much was annulled out of play in 44.
Pulse by the Golden Ball
In the second half, any hope of France of France was extinguished by Lamine Yamal, which also recalled the Eurocup with a goal to France. Then he was remembered so much by the squad, but this time he was transforming a penalty into the 54 that they had committed about himself.
With some ‘bleus’ knocked out, Pedri joined the party marking the room in a face to face before Maignan after receiving from Nico Williams in 55.
Mbappé shortened in the 59th, of penalty, but Yamal distanced his own 5-1 with a cross shot in the area, on a night in which he claimed for the Golden Ball before a cariabonte democoncid Dembélé and Mbappé.
In the last minutes, taking advantage of the relaxation of the opponent, France came to approach 5-4 thanks to Cherki (79), somewhat against Vivian (83) and Kolo Muani (90+3), but could not avoid being relegated to the bitter duel for third place, Sunday against Germany.
