Spain secured a 2-0 victory over France in the World Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening, but the win came at a cost as two key players suffered injuries that could affect their participation in Sunday's final. Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scored the goals in Texas, but Porro was forced off late in the match with a hamstring strain, while teenage sensation Lamine Yamal was seen limping at full-time.
Porro's injury concern
Tottenham Hotspur full-back Pedro Porro opened the scoring in the first half before combining brilliantly with Dani Olmo to fire past Mike Maignan in the second half. However, he was substituted in the 84th minute, replaced by Marcos Llorente. According to AS, Porro asked to come off due to a hamstring strain. He appeared to be in discomfort as he left the pitch, with just five days until the final in New Jersey. 'We'll see if I'm fit to play. Right now I'd say I'm dead. Time to recover,' Porro said.
Yamal's knock
Perhaps more concerning for Spain was the sight of Lamine Yamal limping at full-time. The 18-year-old has been a standout performer in the tournament and his potential absence would be a significant blow. Spain boss Luis de La Fuente expressed optimism that neither player had suffered a serious injury. 'He's fine as far as I know, and Pedro Porro has muscle tightness, which we'll have to assess,' the Spain boss said. Both players will be assessed in the coming days.
Rodri criticises leniency
Spain midfielder Rodri was unhappy with the treatment of Yamal during the match. The youngster was fouled multiple times, including a challenge from Lucas Digne that led to Spain's first-half penalty. 'It's clear that we've been dealing with this situation of numerous fouls for three games now,' the Manchester City midfielder said. 'I understand that some might not be fouls, but we're talking about 10 or 15 fouls where the lad goes to ground, gets tripped, and they have to call it, because otherwise, the defenders are going to keep doing the same thing. The leniency was quite evident today.'
Potential final opponents
Spain will face either England or Argentina in the final on Sunday. If England triumph against Argentina on Wednesday night, the match will be a repeat of the Euro 2024 final, where Oyarzabal scored a late winner for La Roja in Berlin. The winner of the semi-final between England and Argentina will be determined on Wednesday, with the final set for Sunday in New Jersey.
