Spain qualified for the Nations League final on Thursday. The team of coach Luis de la Fuente won a brilliant match against France 5-4. Another neighboring country awaits in the final.
The MHPArena in Stuttgart was full of stars. The two Southern European countries made it a dazzlingly beautiful match. Spain emerged as the deserved winner, although it became exciting in the final phase.
The French could have taken the lead early in the match when Kylian Mbappé passed the ball to newly crowned Champions League winner Désiré Doué. But Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón prevented that.
Shortly after, Spain took the lead. Lamine Yamal reached striker Mikel Oyarzabal, who served Nico Williams with clever footwork. The winger from Athletic Club hammered the 1-0 into the net.
Three minutes later, Mikel Merino made it 2-0. The Arsenal midfielder finished after a brilliant through ball from Oyarzabal, who thus had two assists to his name. Dean Huijsen then thought he had scored with a volley, but that goal was disallowed for offside.
Goal rain after halftime
Shortly after halftime, Spain delivered the coup de grâce. The ball went to the spot after a foul by Adrien Rabiot on Yamal. The FC Barcelona star took the penalty himself and shot the 3-0 into the corner. Barely a minute later, Pedri even put the 4-0 on the scoreboard.
An unprecedented debacle threatened for France, but coach Didier Deschamps’ team quickly responded. Mbappé was brought down in the penalty area and converted the penalty himself: 4-1. The goal rain had not yet stopped.
Yamal beat goalkeeper Mike Maignan with a toe-poke (5-1), after which France almost conjured up a bizarre comeback. Rayan Cherki scored with a beautiful volley (5-2), Daniel Vivian passed his own keeper (5-3), and Randal Kolo Muani headed in from close range (5-4). That’s where it stayed in Stuttgart.
Spain will face Portugal in the Nations League final on Sunday. Roberto Martínez’s team won 1-2 against Germany on Wednesday. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning goal.
