Yamal Bersinar, Spain Bungkam Prancis 5-4 Dan Melaju Ke Final UEFA Nations League
JAKARTA The young Spanish star, Lamine Yamal, has again stolen the world's attention after inspiring a dramatic 5-4 victory over France in the UEFA Nations League semifinal which was held at the MHP Arena, Stuttgart, Friday, June 6 in the morning WIB.
This victory led La Roja to the final for the third time in a row. They will face Portugal in the top match.
The match took place at a high tempo from the start. Spain impressed in the first half and immediately pressed the French defense. Nico Williams opened the scoring in the 13th minute, followed by Mikel Merino's goal in the 25th minute as a result of a neat attack scheme.
Entering the second half, Lamine Yamal showed his class. The 17-year-old increased Spain's advantage with a penalty in the 54th minute, after he was dropped in the box. Just a minute later, Pedri added his fourth goal through a beautiful flick that French goalkeeper Mike Maignan failed to anticipate.
This match was predicted to be a duel for young Ballon d'Or winners. However, the performance of French stars such as Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele was considered less than optimal, especially after undergoing the Champions League final match with Paris Saint-Germain.
France had reduced the score with Kylian Mbappe's penalty in the 59th minute. However, Yamal again scored eight minutes later and gave Spain a 5-1 lead.
Drama is not over yet. France stepped up the pressure in the last minute. Rayan Cherki scored from outside the penalty box, then Dani Vivian scored an own goal, and Randal Kolo Muani added a third goal for France ahead of the final whistle. Despite being depressed, Spain was able to maintain the advantage until the game was over.
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Spain, which is in an impressive form with coach Luis de la Fuente, has only lost once in the last two years. The combination of fast play from the wing side, especially through Yamal and Williams, became their main strength in dismantling the opponent's defense.
For France, this defeat is a bitter record. For the first time since 1969, they conceded five goals in one game. This semifinal match also recorded history as the highest number of goals in the history of the UEFA Nations League, with a total of nine goals.