Teenager Salma Paralluelo hit an extra-time winner as Spain beat the Netherlands 2-1 at the Women’s World Cup on Friday to set up a semi-final clash with Japan or Sweden
Teenager Salma Paralluelo hit an extra-time winner as Spain beat the Netherlands 2- 1 at the Women’s World Cup on Friday to set up a semi-final clash with Japan or Sweden. Over a tense 90 twinkles in Wellington full of incident, Mariona Caldentey scored an 81st- nanosecond penalty for Spain, only for Dutch protector Stefanie van der Gragt to equalise in added time 10 twinkles latterly. With the quarter-final putatively headed for penalties, the 19- time-old cover Paralluelo produced a brilliant solo finish in the 111th nanosecond to put Spain into the last four for the first time.
They will now face Sweden or Japan in Auckland on Tuesday while the event is over for the Dutch, beaten finalists four times agone.
” It’s hard now,” said Van der Gragt, whose last game in football was an important one– conceding the penalty for handball, also equalising, before Paralluelo’s decisive, late intervention.
“We had the chance in redundant time and we did not score, they had one chance and they scored. That is football.”
It was price for a display of controlled attacking football from the sixth- ranked La Roja, who have recaptured their swagger after crashing to a 4- 0 group- stage loss to Japan.
The 90 twinkles of normal time were largely dominated by Spain– and some VAR opinions– but it was actually the Netherlands who looked stronger in redundant time, before alternate- half cover Paralluelo struck on the counterattack.
Jorge Vilda‘s Spain dominated the first half, making 11 unanswered attempts on thing.
The Dutch were saved by the woodwork doubly in quick race when Alba Redondo’s title was sidestepped onto the post by goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and her follow- up nearly hit the same spot downward down on the left post.
Spain captain Esther Gonzalez, who was a constant imminence, lashed a shot into the net from a Redondo mis- megahit but the striker was ruled offside by VAR.
The Netherlands recaptured a base in the alternate half.
They looked set to go in front when Lineth Beerensteyn tumbled over in the box following contact with Irene Paredes, who was shown a unheroic card as French adjudicator Stephanie Frappert refocused to the spot.
Frappert was advised by VAR to review and ruled there was not sufficient contact from Paredes, who had her unheroic card withdrawn, important to the animated displeasure of Beerensteyn.
Spain went ahead from the spot with nine twinkles left of normal time through Caldentey after Paralluelo’s cross struck Van der Gragt’s flailing hand inside the penalty box.
Inter Milan protector Van der Gragt made amends in the first nanosecond of cessation time when her surging run was set up by Victoria Pelova before blasting once Cata Coll inside the far post.
The Netherlands had the better chances in redundant time, going near doubly through Beerensteyn before conceding the decisive thing from Barcelona forward Paralluelo.
World player of the time Alexia Putellas, who’s recovering from a knee injury, was introduced off the Spanish bench during redundant time.
Still, they will be without protector Oihane Hernandez for the semi-final after she was shown a unheroic card for a foul. Know More Latest Women’s Football News…
