Spanish defender Olga Carmona (C) netted the decisive goal in the 89th minute of the 2023 Women’s World Cup semifinal clash against Sweden, propelling Spain to the final. The match, held in Auckland, New Zealand, witnessed a thrilling goal after 80 minutes of goalless soccer. The victory marks Spain’s first appearance in a Women’s World Cup final.
Spain will now compete against either England or the host country Australia in the final showdown to be held in Sydney on Sunday. The Spanish team, motivated by their triumph against Sweden, aims to maintain their winning form and overcome the ultimate challenge.
Salma Paralluelo also contributed to Spain’s victory, scoring a goal in the 2-1 triumph. Sweden’s only goal was scored by striker Rebecka Blomqvist. Reflecting on the hard-fought game, Paralluelo expressed satisfaction with her team’s resilience and determination.
This Women’s World Cup showdown made history as the first three-goal match that did not witness an initial score within the first 80 minutes. Spain manager Jorge Vilda lauded his team’s ability to overcome setbacks, highlighting their winning goal and expressing immense happiness at qualifying for the World Cup final.
The match saw both teams creating scoring opportunities early on, with Spain’s Carmona narrowly missing a shot in the 14th minute. Sweden’s forward Fridolina Rolfo faced a strong save from Spain’s goalkeeper Cata Coll in the 42nd minute. Spain’s Alba Redondo came close to breaking the deadlock in the 70th minute, but her shot missed the mark.
In the 81st minute, Paralluelo broke the stalemate by scoring a goal for Spain. A cross from forward Jenni Hermoso set up the score, with the ball finding Paralluelo’s right boot just before Swedish defenders could intercept it. In a swift response, Sweden’s Blomqvist equalized the game less than 7 minutes later.
However, it was Carmona’s heroics in the 89th minute that secured Spain’s victory. A corner kick from midfielder Teresa Albelleira found Carmona above the box, where she skillfully settled the ball and fired a left-footed shot into the net. The ball struck the bottom of the crossbar before finding the back of the net, securing Spain’s place in the final.
During the match, Spain outshot Sweden 13-5, with two shots on target. They also dominated possession, outpassing Sweden 524-333 and maintaining a 50% to 34% possession advantage.
In the other semifinal, No. 10 Australia is set to face No. 4 England in Sydney on Wednesday. The winner of that match will meet Spain in the Women’s World Cup final, scheduled to take place on Sunday.
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