Spain are into the World Cup final. Lamine Yamal cut inside for the opener, Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does to equalise, and Álvaro Morata rose above Stefan Ajer at the near post to head the winner past Ørjan Nyland with a quarter of an hour left. Two-one at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and Luis de la Fuente's side are 90 minutes from a second world title.
The pattern of the first half
Norway did what everybody hoped Norway would do — dropped into the 5-3-2 that had frustrated Germany and France, gave Spain the ball on their own terms, and dared the tournament favourites to break down eleven behind it. For thirty minutes it looked like it might hold. Rodri had the ball in front of the block, Pedri and Fabián Ruiz shuttled through the half-spaces, and neither Ødegaard nor Berge had to defend more than fifteen yards of vertical space.
The break came, as it usually does with this Spain, from the width. Lamine Yamal drew Marius Wolfe two-versus-one on Spain's right, cut inside on his left onto the top of the D, and curled a ball across Nyland into the far corner. Thirty-fourth minute, one-nil, and the Norwegian shape suddenly needed to come and get the ball rather than sit in front of it. That is a very different game.
Haaland does it again
Norway hit level twice in the tournament and both times it started with Ødegaard finding a pocket. This one was the same. Fifty-eighth minute, Robin Le Normand stepped in front of Alexander Sørloth just outside the box, missed the ball, and Ødegaard turned into the space Le Normand had vacated. One touch, one long diagonal to Haaland's back-post run against Aymeric Laporte, one first-time finish across Unai Simón. Seven goals in the tournament for the Manchester City striker and a shootout in Atlanta.
Haaland's celebration was muted. He knew what everybody in the stadium knew — Norway had the crowd, the momentum, and about fifteen minutes to press the game onto a second Spanish mistake before Spain settled themselves. They did not get it.
Morata, the moment nobody predicted
Álvaro Morata came into the semi on three tournament goals and, by his own admission after the France quarter-final, feeling the physical toll of six matches in a month. De la Fuente had considered starting Ferran Torres. He did not, and it was the right call.
The winner came from a set piece — Spain's third goal from a dead ball across the knockout rounds. Dani Carvajal's inswinging cross from a short corner, whipped in with pace toward the near post, Morata peeling off Ajer's blindside and getting there half a stride before Nyland. Sixty-fourth minute the England fans back home would have been watching Ødegaard on the ball, thinking about extra time. Seventy-sixth minute they were phoning each other about a Sunday final against Spain.
The Norwegian last twelve minutes
Ståle Solbakken went for it. Off came Wolfe, on came Alexander Sørloth's understudy Kristian Thorstvedt to give Norway a genuine second striker alongside Haaland. Off came Ryerson, on came Fredrik Aursnes with instructions to overlap and cross. Norway put twenty-two crosses into Spain's box between minute 78 and full-time. None of them found a foot.
The last chance was a Haaland header in the third minute of added time that skidded a yard wide of Simón's right-hand post. Full time. Spain in the final. Norway, the tournament's darling underdog run, done at the last step.
What the numbers said
Possession finished 62-38 to Spain. Expected goals: Spain 1.8, Norway 1.1. Spain had seventeen shots to Norway's nine, on target seven-to-three, though Norway's nine included two chances of 0.3 xG or better — the equaliser and the added-time Haaland header. Two things won this game for Spain:
- Yamal on the right flank. Six successful dribbles, four chances created, and the goal. Wolfe simply could not stay with him one-on-one.
- Set pieces going the right way. Norway had scored four of their ten tournament goals from dead balls before kick-off. Spain scored the only set-piece goal of the semifinal, and it decided it.
The final: Spain vs England, Sunday
Kick-off is 3 p.m. ET on Sunday July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In the US the match is on FOX and Telemundo, in the UK on BBC One and ITV1 (both broadcasters get a live feed for a men's World Cup final), in Canada on TSN. Spain will look to add a second star to the shirt after 2010; England chase their first men's World Cup since 1966.
Follow live updates from the third-place playoff between Netherlands and Norway on Saturday and the final on Sunday via Scorelisto's soccer scores page, or head to the Scorelisto blog for the full pre-final tactical breakdown.
FAQ
Who scored the goals? Lamine Yamal (34', curled left-footed finish from just outside the box), Erling Haaland (58', first-time diagonal from Ødegaard), Álvaro Morata (76', header from a short-corner cross by Carvajal).
Is this Spain's first World Cup final since 2010? Yes. Spain won their first and only World Cup at South Africa 2010 with a Andrés Iniesta extra-time goal against Netherlands. This is their fifth semifinal in tournament history and their second final.
How far did Norway get? The semifinal. It is Norway's first World Cup semifinal in history — their previous best was a Round of 16 finish in France 1998. Erling Haaland finishes the tournament level with the Golden Boot pack on seven goals.
When is the third-place playoff? Saturday July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, kick-off 3 p.m. ET. Netherlands play Norway.
When is the final? Sunday July 19, 3 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium. Spain vs England.