Yamal, Williams dazzle as Spain beats France in nine-goal thriller to reach UEFA Nations League final

The Hindu

4 days ago

Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart on Thursday, to set up a UEFA Nations League final with Portugal.
Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France's makeshift defence to ribbons. Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the scoresheet for the Euro 2024 champion.
Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain was 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponent took its foot off the pedal.
France's three late goals -- a Rayan Cherki screamer, a Spain own goal and a stoppage time strike from Randal Kolo Muani -- were not enough.
Spain held on to book an all-Iberian Nations League final against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in Munich, while France will face host Germany in Stuttgart for the bronze medal earlier in the day.
Returning to Germany, where it won the European Championship in dominant fashion a year ago, Spain seemed a more complete team, despite their late fadeout.
France was more dangerous in the opening stages, with Didier Deschamps electing to channel his attack through Ousmane Dembele rather than Mbappe.
Dembele, fresh from Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League triumph, created an early chance for Mbappe, but the Real Madrid superstar wasted it, electing to pass rather than shoot when one-on-one with the 'keeper.
AS IT HAPPENED | SPAIN VS FRANCE HIGHLIGHTS, UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE SEMIFINAL
Minutes later, Spain escaped again as Theo Hernandez's long-range effort shaved the top of the crossbar.
Spain made France pay soon after, when Williams and Oyarzabal, La Roja's two goalscorers in the Euro 2024 final, linked up with 22 minutes played.
After a tear down the right, Yamal threaded it to Oyarzabal, who held off three defenders with his back to goal before finding Williams, who rifled his shot into the top of the net.
Spain grabbed full hold of the match just three minutes later when Oyarzabal dinked the French defence, allowing Merino to collect and hammer past an off-balance Maignan.
France had the better chances later in the half, with Dembele finding space in the box three times, only to blast straight at a grateful Unai Simon.
Just before half-time, the narrowest of offsides robbed Spain of what would have been an incredible third. In a clearly rehearsed free-kick play, Yamal found Martin Zubimendi behind the lines, who cut it back for Huijsen.
The second-half played out line the first, with France missing two big chances before Spain again scored a quick-fire double.
With 54 minutes played, Yamal won and converted a penalty, taking the ball from Williams before calmly slotting home.
France was reeling but Spain's starlets had no sympathy, Williams setting up Pedri for a fourth just one minute later.
Mbappe won and converted a penalty with 59 minutes played, but Yamal stepped up again to snuff out French hopes of an unlikely comeback, scoring Spain's fifth with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Spain made four changes a its thoughts turned to Sunday, allowing France to score two late consolation goals.
Substitute Cherki scored a long-range effort and then forced Spain into conceding an own goal through Daniel Vivian.
Kolo Muani's goal came in the fourth minute of stoppage time to cut the deficit to one, but France had left their comeback too late, as Spain held on.