Spain established a 1-0 lead in the first half of the 2026 World Cup semi-final against France, courtesy of a penalty scored by Mikel Oyarzabal. Despite strong attacking efforts from the French side, who featured active play from players like Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise, they were unable to generate a serious threat against Unai Simón’s goal. The turning point arrived in the 20th minute when Lucas Digne was penalized for an unforced challenge inside the box.
Referee Ivan Barton immediately signaled the penalty, leading to the critical opportunity. In the 22nd minute, Mikel Oyarzabal capitalized on the chance, scoring accurately from the penalty spot to defeat Mike Maignan and put Spain ahead. Following the goal, Spain asserted control over the match’s tempo.
The team maintained their offensive pressure, even mounting a further attack that concluded when Fabian Ruiz’s shot was blocked by the French defense. The penalty goal provided a significant advantage for Spain as the half concluded. The early breakthrough gave the Spanish squad the momentum, while France continued to challenge the deficit in the build-up to the break.
Topics: #penalty #spain #france
