Spain secured their spot in the World Cup final, outclassing France in their semi-final showdown. The Euro 2024 champions won 2-0, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scoring either side of half-time. They will now face either England or Argentina in the final.
Porro sealed the win in the second-half, combining brilliantly with Dani Olmo before firing past Mike Maignan. However, the Tottenham full-back was withdrawn after 84 minutes, replaced by Marcos Llorente, due to a reported hamstring strain. Porro looked in discomfort before his withdrawal, just five days until the final.
After the game, Porro expressed concerns about his fitness, saying, "We'll see if I'm fit to play. Right now I'd say I'm dead. Time to recover." This injury concern, along with Lamine Yamal limping at full-time, may pose a threat to Spain's chances in the final.
Spain boss Luis de La Fuente was hopeful that his stars had not suffered any serious knocks, with both players to be assessed in the coming days. De La Fuente provided an update on the players' conditions, stating that Yamal was "fine as far as I know" and Porro had muscle tightness.
Spain midfielder Rodri expressed frustration with some of the challenges faced by his teammate Lamine Yamal during the game. Rodri mentioned that Yamal was targeted by France players, and that the leniency in refereeing was evident. He highlighted that Spain had been dealing with numerous fouls for three games now.
If England triumph against Argentina, Sunday's match will be a repeat of the Euro 2024 final, where Oyarzabal sealed a late win for Spain. The final will take place in New Jersey, with Spain aiming to assess their injured players before the big game.
