2023-08-05 10:11:20
Spain’s national women’s soccer team has made it into the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time. The Iberians didn’t give Switzerland a chance in the first round of 16 of the finals in Australia and New Zealand on Saturday as they won 5-1 in Auckland. Japan also lived up to the role of favourite. The 2011 world champion had a little more trouble in the 3-1 win over Austria’s Nations League opponent Norway in Wellington.
The Spaniards converted their dominance before the break with goals from Aitana Bonmati (5′, 36′), Alba Redondo (17′) and Laia Codina (45′). The latter had also scored the only Swiss goal with a remarkable own goal (11th) from more than 40 meters. After the change of sides, Jennifer Hermoso (70th) entered the shooter list. In the fight for the semi-finals, the sixth in the world rankings in Wellington on Friday will either face vice world champions the Netherlands or South Africa, who will meet on Sunday.
In Wellington, Japan went ahead thanks to an own goal by Ingrid Syrstad Engen (15th), Risa Shimizu (50th) and Hinata Miyazawa (81st) fixed the win, who now alone leads the tournament scorer list with five goals. In the meantime, Chelsea striker Guro Riding (20th) had equalized. In the quarter-finals on Friday in Auckland, a much tougher task awaits with defending champion USA or world number three Sweden. The Sunday duel between the two top teams is the big knockout round.
The 43,217 spectators – more than ever before at a football game in New Zealand – saw one-way street football from the start. Team boss Jorge Vilda’s squad showed the intended reaction after the 4-0 draw against Japan at the end of the group stage. Switzerland goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann was able to clear a Redondo shot via pole, but the ball landed in a roundabout way at Bonmati, who put the ball in front with her left. The Spaniards had themselves to blame for the fact that it remained exciting for a short time. Without looking up, Codina played high back to the puzzled goalkeeper Cata Coll, just inside her own half, and the ball landed in her own goal.
That did not throw the favorites off track. Almost all dangerous attacks were launched from the left flank via the strong Salma Paralluelo. Redondo then headed in and Bonmati hit again with the left after a hook. Shortly before the break, Codina happily poked the ball over the line after a corner kick. After a three-way substitution at the break, the Swiss defended themselves a little better in the second half, but only one dangerous move by substitute Meriame Terchoun (56′) succeeded.
Spain dictated the action and provided the final point through Hermoso. Vilda could afford the luxury of not bringing world footballer Alexia Putellas until the 77th minute. “We put the hard defeat against Japan out of our minds and obviously showed a great reaction. A 5-1 round of 16 is not easy to achieve,” said Bonmati. Vilda was delighted with the football he had imagined. “We made history and showed what we can do.” The Swiss women presented themselves as fair losers. “Spain was a class stronger than us,” said team boss Inka Grings.
Like Switzerland, Norway also missed out on the quarter-finals they were in in 2019. An unfortunate own goal from Syrstad Engen, who deflected a Miyazawa cross right into the corner, set off the defeat in front of 33,042 fans. It was the eighth own goal in these finals, tying the all-time record from 2019.
Riding’s powerful header five minutes later was the perfect answer, but in the end it wasn’t enough. Immediately after the restart, Shimizu benefited from a bad pass from Vilde Boe Risa. Miyazawa, the outstanding figure in the Japanese game, finally closed the sack. Shortly before that, the Norwegians, in which the injured Ada Hegerberg only played from the 74th minute, had pushed for an equalizer in a strong phase.
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