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| Spain's Olga Carmona celebrates by her teammates after she scored her side's winning goal during the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between Sweden and Spain at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo) |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) - Spain is poised to compete in its inaugural Women's World Cup championship after Olga Carmona's dramatic 89th-minute goal propelled La Roja to a thrilling 2-1 triumph over Sweden in the semifinal held on Tuesday.
🇪🇸 @SEFutbolFem are into their first #FIFAWWC Final!!! 👏
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 15, 2023
Spain, which triumphed over last year's internal turmoil involving its players and coach Jorge Vilda, is set to contend against the victor between tournament co-hosts Australia and England in the grand finale scheduled for Sunday in Sydney.
The controversy encircling Spain traces back to last September when a group of 15 players signed a letter raising concerns about Vilda's leadership and the conditions of the national team. Three of these players are now part of the World Cup roster, and just a day prior to the match against Sweden, Vilda extended his gratitude to the Spanish federation for its unwavering support.
This achievement now places La Roja on the precipice of securing its inaugural World Cup championship.
Jorge Vilda expressed, "This is an extraordinary day. We've secured our spot in the final, which was our ultimate goal."
He once again extended his gratitude towards the federation and its leadership for the backing that has propelled Spain to a single victory away from World Cup glory.
Vilda conveyed, "The outcome has been a journey of growth that, in my view, has made us more resilient, allowing us to move beyond the past and look ahead to the future." He emphasized, "We find ourselves here purely on merit."
Olga Carmona's crucial goal capped off a frenzied sequence of late-game scoring. Following Sweden's equalizer, Spain managed to retake the lead a mere 90 seconds later through a surprising turn of events.
Salma Paralluelo, the 19-year-old super-sub who previously clinched Spain's 2-1 extra-time quarterfinal victory over the Netherlands, seized an opportunity in the 81st minute, giving Spain a 1-0 advantage. She gestured to the crowd, who misconstrued her celebration as the game-winning goal for Spain.
However, the jubilation was short-lived. Rebecca Blomqvist equalized for Sweden in the 88th minute.
In a stunning turn of events, Olga Carmona managed to outwit Sweden's goalkeeper Zecira Musovic with the decisive goal, just 90 seconds after the game was leveled.
Spanish defender Irene Paredes exclaimed, "It was a whirlwind of emotions. After scoring the first goal, it felt like we were almost there, just needing to maintain that score. Then, they equalized so swiftly, and I found myself thinking, 'What just happened?' Yet, we maintained our confidence that we could create another opportunity."
Sweden's record in the semifinals now stands at four losses out of five appearances, as they once again strive to secure third place for the fourth time.
Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson remarked, "I need to review the match before offering any assessments. Presently, I'm overwhelmed with emotions. This marks our third semifinal defeat. I believe everyone shares a sense of sorrow and profound disappointment."
Salma Paralluelo now stands as only the second teenager to score in a Women's World Cup semifinal, following Canada's Kara Lang in 2003, also against Sweden.
In the World Cup arena, Spain is making only its third appearance. Four years earlier, La Roja progressed to the knockout stage but suffered defeat against eventual champions, the United States.
Paralluelo conveyed, "Now, it's the final showdown. I think we must approach it the way we've approached each match before. We've surmounted every challenge, and now we're up against the ultimate challenge."
Despite their commendable achievements, Sweden has never clinched a World Cup title. While they secured the runner-up position in 2003, they have finished third on three occasions. Notably, Sweden secured silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago and during the 2016 Games in Brazil.
Kosovare Asllani expressed her frustration, stating, "I'm weary of shedding tears at major tournaments." This sentiment follows Sweden's semifinal defeat at the European Championships the previous September.
After breezing through the group stage, Sweden eliminated two-time reigning champion the United States in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw. They proceeded to defeat previously undefeated Japan 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
Spain, having stumbled to second place in their group after a resounding loss to Japan, staged a remarkable comeback with a 5-1 victory over Switzerland and a 2-1 win against the Netherlands, which propelled them into the semifinals. This marked La Roja's first appearance in a major semifinal since the 1997 European Championships.
Spain's two-time Ballon d'Or awardee, Alexia Putellas, made her third start in the World Cup. Overcoming an ACL injury last summer, Putellas has been working diligently to regain full fitness. She had previously been a substitute in the team's last two matches.
Putellas, who took the place of Esther Gonzalez in the starting lineup, was substituted in the 57th minute for the teenage sensation Paralluelo, who has now secured goals in back-to-back matches.
Spain exhibited dominance in ball possession and created superior opportunities in the first half. Olga Carmona's strike from the top of the box narrowly missed the mark. Sweden's defense, which had conceded only two goals in the tournament, held strong.
In the 35th minute, Putellas executed a skillful nutmeg on Filippa Angeldal before delivering a cross, though Magdalena Eriksson was poised to clear the danger.
Spain's goalkeeper, Cata Coll, made a diving save to deny Fridolina Rolfo's shot late in the half and followed it up with a punch to clear the ball from a corner kick, preserving the goalless score at halftime.
Sweden entered the second half with renewed energy, yet Spain continued to create scoring opportunities. Paralluelo's header in the 63rd minute sailed over the crossbar.
In the 71st minute, Alba Redondo found herself in front of the goal, managing to connect with the ball. Unfortunately, her shot veered just wide, getting entangled in the side netting.
There was a brief period of suspense as Paralluelo's goal underwent video review, ultimately being confirmed.
Following Carmona's match-winning goal, jubilant Spain players converged around her near the team's bench.
A crowd of 43,217 spectators gathered at Auckland's Eden Park to witness this thrilling encounter.
