Spain Clinches Second World Cup Title with Lightning Strike in Extra Time

[Anchor]

Spain has defeated Argentina to win its second World Cup title in 16 years. The match ended in a 1-0 victory after a fierce battle that extended into extra time.

Reporter Yu Byeongmin has the story.

[Reporter]

Defending champion Argentina, led by Messi, faced off against Spain, a team riding a 37-game unbeaten streak with perfect teamwork.

In the highly anticipated final for the championship trophy, Spain took control in the first half.

Just four minutes into the game, Yamal received a through ball and aimed for the goal with the first shot, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper's save.

Dominating the midfield, Spain relentlessly pressured Argentina, with Oyarzabal firing a left-footed shot followed by a long-range attempt from Cucurella.

Argentina, forced to play defensively against Spain's offensive, faced a setback late in the first half when defender Lisandro was substituted due to an injury.

During the halftime show, which featured BTS performing "Dynamite," Spain continued its relentless attack, starting with a shot by Alex Baena just one minute into the second half.

However, shots from Olmo and a precise header from Ferran Torres were both caught by the goalkeeper, and a header from Laporte in the 35th minute of the second half was also denied by goalkeeper Martinez's save.

The momentum began to shift in stoppage time of the second half when Argentina's Fernandez was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

With a numerical advantage in extra time, Spain suffered a stroke of bad luck when Nico Williams' goal in the 5th minute of the first half of extra time was canceled due to a prior foul by Merino. However, they finally broke through in the 1st minute of the second half of extra time.

As Nico Williams headed down a cross from the opposite side, Torres struck a lightning-fast left-footed shot into the net and roared in celebration.

With this goal serving as the winner, Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 to reach the top of the World Cup for the second time in history, 16 years after their 2010 victory.

The North and Central American World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico and featuring 48 nations for the first time in history, concluded its long journey with Spain's triumph.

(Video Editing: Park Gi-deok)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.