When Spain took the European Championship gold last summer, the team defeated France 2–1 in the semifinals. At that time, the super talent Lamine Yamal – 16 years old at the time – became historic as the youngest goal scorer in a men's European Championship.
Now, the Barcelona star is 17 years old and one of the world's best football players. He got to show this in the Nations League semifinals against France, but it was Nico Williams and Mikel Merino who started the goal tally in German Stuttgart.
In the 22nd minute, Williams scored the opening goal and just three minutes later, Merino ran through to 2–0.
The Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón made a few strong one-handed saves before the whistle blew for a break, but in the start of the second act, Yamal entered the action.
First, he scored 3–0 on a penalty in the 54th minute after he himself had been fouled in the penalty area and just a minute later, Pedri increased it to 4–0.
Although Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé reduced it shortly afterwards on a penalty, in the 67th minute, Yamal sent in his second goal of the evening to 5–1.
France did not give up. First, Rayan Cherki reduced it to 2–5 and shortly afterwards, the next reduction came after a Spanish own goal. On extra time, Randal Kolo Muani nodded in France's fourth goal, but that was where it stopped.
In Sunday's final at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Spain will face Portugal, which knocked out Germany 2–1 on Wednesday. The semifinal losers will meet the same day in a match for third place in Stuttgart.
