Soccer
France vs. Spain - Which three factors will decide who wins World Cup semi-final?
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The World Cup semi-finals get underway in Dallas this evening as France take on current European champions Spain.
This fixture is one worthy of being a final, but the luck of the draw has the two nations squaring off in the last four.
France and Spain have been arguably the two best teams at this year's tournament, which could make for a tight but enthralling game.
Ahead of kick-off, DAZN News picks three factors which will make the difference in this World Cup semi-final.
France's star studded attack
Quite frankly, France are spoiled when it comes to attacking options.
From captain Kylian Mbappe to in-form winger Michael Olise, this Les Bleus goal threat has been wreaking havoc.
Mbappe alone has scored eight goals so far in this tournament and is currently joint top in the race for the Golden Boot.
In France's quarter-final win over Morocco alone, Mbappe scored his team's opener with a moment of magic and created four chances.
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It's no secret Mbappe is France's primary goalscorer, but his supporting cast are also putting in a shift.
Ousmane Dembele has registered 14 chances created, while Olise has five assists and 13 chances created.
The numbers generated by this attacking trio showcases their effectiveness in the danger areas, and they will have a major influence on the result of this match.
But it is easier said than done against a Spain defence which is very difficult to breach.
Spain's near inpenetrable defence
Spain's defence has been the talk of the tournament after keeping clean sheets through their first five matches.
However, it was finally breached in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium when Charles De Ketelaere equalised for the Red Devils just before halftime.
Do not let this goal take away from the performance this unit has put in.
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They have conceded 27 shots at the tournament so far, which equates to approximately four per game, an impressive metric considering some of the attacking talent on show.
The xG per shot at 0.06 also shows that even when Spain do allow their opponents to have a chance on goal, rarely is it one which causes problems for La Roja.
Can midfielder Rodri be stopped?
The engine in Spain's midfield is Manchester City's Rodri.
He may not be one of the glamour players who scores goals, but without him, La Roja simply cannot function.
The Ballon d'Or winner keeps Spain ticking as they keep calm on the ball, and is someone who rarely loses it.
Rodri has attempted 569 passes in the tournament, completing 544 of them, resulting in a 95.61% passing accuracy.
DAZN/FIFAAgainst Belgium alone, Rodri completed 97 of his 101 passes, and you would think if he is absent from Spain's midfield, they would quickly lose the control they crave in any football match they play.
There is also Rodri's defensive ability, which continues to cement him as one of the best midfielders around.
He is a player who has not been afraid to successfully apply the dark arts when needed, so if France are to seize control and dominate this match, they will need to take Rodri out of the match completely and hope Spain struggle to find a rhythm.
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