Spain vs France Report
Spain 2-0 France: Alonso marks 100th cap with match-winning double
Two goals from the Real Madrid midfielder provided the
difference as La Roja secured their first ever competitive win over Les
Bleus who proved extremely unadventurous
Spain set up an all-Iberian semi-final with Portugal as they earned a 2-0 win over France with a workmanlike display in the last eight at the Donbass Arena.
La Roja bossed the game in large parts,
opening the scoring midway through the first half thanks to Xabi Alonso
as he completed a century of international appearances. Despite an
improved performance in the second half Les Bleus failed to find a
breakthrough and received a sucker-punch when Alonso slotted home from
the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time.
Following Fernando
Torres' disappointing performance against Croatia, Vicente del Bosque
reverted to the striker-less formation which garnered so much criticism
after their opening group game with Cesc Fabregas rejoining the forward
line.
In an attempt to stifle the typically fluid
and creative Spaniards, Laurent Blanc opted to begin with Mathieu
Debuchy in front of Anthony Reveillere on the right in order to help
protect against Andres Iniesta and Jordi Alba. Samir Nasri started among
the substitutes amid rumours of infighting for a fairly conservative
looking French team.
Spain controlled the ball from kick-off,
passing it across the field and probing for an opening that proved
elusive until the 19th minute. Blanc will have been furious that when
Spain did create an opportunity it came down his side's supposedly
fortified right. Iniesta threaded a pass to the overlapping Alba and he
looked up and picked out Alonso who headed the ball back across goal and into the far corner.
Franck
Ribery and Karim Benzema were doing their best to provide a moment's
respite for their side but for all their endeavour they frequently found
themselves running into dead ends and handing the ball straight back to
the opposition.
In the 35th minute Les Bleus got their first
shot on target from a free-kick after Sergio Ramos felled Benzema. Yohan
Cabaye struck the ball from 35 yards and it looked destined for the top
left corner until Iker Casillas palmed it away.
For all their
possession La Roja were once again creating very little. A give-and-go
between Iniesta and Fabregas enabled the former to get in behind the
defence but his effort was blocked by a recovering Laurent Koscielny on
his competitive debut for France.
France returned from the break
in a far more positive manner and began to commit greater numbers
forward when on the ball. With an hour played Ribery worked some space
on the left and clipped a cross into the middle. Debuchy met it in the
centre of the box but his header sailed narrowly over the bar.
With
Spain reducing their urgency Blanc sensed the momentum swinging the way
of his side and made two attacking substitutions, replacing Debuchy and
Florent Malouda with Jeremy Menez and Nasri.
All night France
had allowed Alvaro Arbeloa a lot of freedom on the right in an attempt
to provide Ribery with more space in behind him on the left flank. This
almost paid dividends in the 71st minute when the Bayern Munich winger
charged forwards and drilled a dangerous cross into the six-yard box but
Casillas got a hand to it and gathered at the second attempt.
The
substitutes failed to have the desired impact on the game, however, as
the Spanish defence remained tight. Del Bosque's side were then awarded a
penalty in stoppage-time when Reveillere brought Pedro down in the
area. Alonso stepped up and converted from 12 yards, sending Hugo Lloris the wrong way.
Spain
now have three days of rest until they return to Donetsk to face
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the semi-final. France will turn their
attentions to the World Cup qualifying campaign where they will face La
Roja twice, with the first fixture coming in October.
Source : Goal.com
