France won the second edition of the Nations League with the second comeback in two games. From 0-2 to 3-2 with Belgium in the semifinals, from 0-1 to 2-1 with Spain in the final. The victory of the Bleus still bears the same double signature, that of Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappé: at San Siro the phenomena broke Spain’s ball possession, the champion prevailed over the game. The last half hour was beautiful, with an explosive football, with a balance that, without opportunities for 60 minutes, became full of goals, goals, crosses and great saves. France won, but Spain could win.
AN HOUR WITHOUT SHOW – For the first hour, Italy-Belgium had been more fun than Spain-France. For the goals, for the posts and crosspieces, for the occasions, but also for the game, for the liveliness of the challenge. If the final in Turin was liked, the Nations League final in Milan for 60 minutes disappointed those who expected fireworks from the beginning, for the amazing Spanish ball possession and for the extraordinary French individual quality. For an hour, none of this was seen. Oh sure, Spain held the ball (64 percent possession in the 45th minute), but without ever directing it towards Lloris’s goal, many passes (exactly double the bleus), but no flickering. In that first part of the match there was only one occasion, born from the best technical gesture of the evening, Pogba’s assist for Benzema, forced to expand into the area and cross instead of finishing: but if he had scored, the var would have canceled the goal for offside of the madridista. Then, luckily for those who were at San Siro or in front of the TV, Spain-France became a great match, the goals arrived, a crossbar, but above all the game, finally sparkling.
SLOW POSSESSION, MORE DEPARTURES – For 45 ‘Spain spun the ball to exhaustion, but almost always horizontally, France were more vertical, more hasty, but Deschamps’ team lacked individual initiatives: Mbappé never managed to free his speed in the ‘careful Spanish defense, Benzema did not affect, as for Griezmann he also had to deal with Busquets, the compass of Luis Enrique’s game, a game that was lit only by the cheeky personality of Gavi, born in 2004, attributes as a leader and touch of the ball as a great player player. The outsiders Pavard and Theo Hernandez did not help, always out of the way, while on the other side the three forwards Ferran Torres, Oyrzabal and Sarabia were never precise. From good intentions the two teams did not move on to the facts and at the end of the first half there was very little to report, if not the readiness and solidity of the two defenses, the three-way by Deschamps (who in the 40 ‘lost Varane due to injury, replaced by Upamecano) and the one capable of initiating the action of Luis Enrique. For Unai Simon and Lloris it was 45 minutes of very little effort. But they were just waiting …
AFTER AN HOUR, A GREAT SHOW – In the second half the tones went on, Busquets got two yellow cards, the first for having been fouled by Pogba, the second for a foul by Koundé. After a quarter of an hour, technique and speed took over tactics, the teams stretched and finally the game exploded. From 63’24 “to 65’46”, in exactly 2 minutes and 22 seconds, chances and goals arrived. French crossbar: Benzema-Mbappé, Theo Hernandez’s deadly conclusion, ball under the crossbar and rebound on the pitch. Rebound from which the Spanish goal was born at 63’59 “: Busquets’ half-field launch, Upamecano was in the lead but left the ball to Oyarzabal who left the ball on the opposite post. One minute not even, a French equalizer with a great goal by Karim Benzema, after a fantastic action: control and touch on the fly by Griezmann for Pogba, ball to Mbappé, to Benzema that Azpilicueta has culpably marked from a distance, Karim’s shot on which Unai Simon has unsuccessfully attempted a miracle. Now it was the attacks that took over the defenses. The two coaches had intervened on their teams, Luis Enrique with Koke and the young Yeremi Pino, Deschamps with Dubois.
AND FINALLY MBAPPE ‘- The PSG phenomenon was missing, but at the right moment here too, Kylian Mbappé. It was launched by Theo Hernandez, who in this phase of the match seemed to be that of Milan, that is irrepressible, the Parisian ran away on the edge of the offside, he aimed Unai Simon, he made a feint and incinerated him. It didn’t end there, Lloris solved the start with two wonderful saves, first on Oyarzabal then on Yeremi Pino, while on the other side Mbappé missed the goal that would have avoided his final suffering, when Unai Simon also arrived in the area. French to try to capitalize on the last two corners.
THE TABLE
Spain 1-2 France (first half 0-0)
Scorers: 64 ‘Oyarzabal (S), 66’ Benzema (F), 80 ‘Mbappé (F)
Assist: 64′ Busquets (S), 66′ Mbappè (F), 80′ Theo Hernandez (F)
Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simon; Azpilicueta, Laporte, Eric Garcia, Alonso; Gavi (from 74 ‘Koke), Busquets, Rodri (from 85 Fornals); Ferran Torre (from 85 Merino), Sarabia (from 61 ‘Pino), Oyarzabal. Ct. Luis Enrique
France (3-4-1-2): Lloris; Koundé, Varane (from 43 ‘Upamecano), Kimpembe; Pavard (from 80 ‘Dubois, Pogba, Tchouameni, Theo Hernandez; Griezmann (from 91’ Veretout); Benzema, Mbappé. Ct. Deschamps
Referee: A. Taylor (ENG)
Ammonites: 46 ‘Pogba (F), 55’ Koundé (F), 86 ‘Laporte (S), 90’ Mbappé (F)
Expelled: –
Stoppage time: 2 ‘+ 5’
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