Lamine Yamal finds sneaky way to help Spain beat France in World Cup semifinals
Teen sensation Lamine Yamal played a pivotal role in Spain's victory over France in the World Cup semifinals by drawing a crucial penalty. Spain will now advance to the final to face either Argentina or England.
Why it matters
Yamal's performance highlights the emergence of young talent on the global stage, significantly impacting the outcome of a major international sporting event.
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lamine Yamal sensed an opportunity, taking off toward Lucas Digne as the France defender was trying to clear a ball he had just headed awkwardly in his own penalty area.
Digne didn’t even see Yamal coming when he raised a leg for a clearing kick. His foot crashed into the Spain forward’s thigh, and the penalty call that followed put La Roja in position to take the lead for good.
Yamal has scored only one goal on Spain’s run to the World Cup final, ensured by a 2-0 victory over France in the semifinals on Tuesday. Coach Luis de la Fuente tried to say there were other things besides scoring when he was asked about the teen sensation the day before the match, on the Barcelona star’s 19th birthday.
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