Only three games away from Paris 2024. The first participation of the Spanish women's soccer team in the Olympic Games is within reach: yesterday's resounding victory against Switzerland, the fourth consecutive in the Nations League, consolidates the leadership in the group A4 of the players led by Montse Tomé, already 5 points ahead of Sweden, who stumbled against Italy (1-1). It was the eighth straight win for the Spanish since they lost in the World Cup to Japan on July 31.
Riding the wave of this victorious streak, Spain will secure one of the three European places for the Games if it wins the following three matches: Italy (December 1, in Pontevedra), Sweden (on the last day on December 5, in Málaga) and the semifinal of the final four (February 21), which they will enter as first in the group, winning the two previous matches. The draw for this final phase between the four group winners will be on December 11.
Reaching the pot as first in the A4 group is the only valid objective for Montse Tomé's team, who went out to the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich with ambition ahead of them and their offensive game.
Aitana Bonmatí appeared in the starting eleven, despite the few hours she had rested after capitalizing on the Ballon d'Or gala ceremony. The one from Sant Pere de Ribes arrived at the Zurich concentration hotel at 11 in the morning with her ball gold under the arm.
It was not a reason to reserve her, despite the fact that the coach made up to five changes to the starting team in relation to the day in Italy. The most notable was in goal, with the Madrid player Misa Rodríguez for the Blaugrana Cata Coll; Oihane Hernández and María Méndez came in on defense for Olga Carmona and Laia Codina; and Jenni Hermoso and Salma Paralluelo returned in attack – she was also at the Paris gala – for Mariona Caldentey and Esther González.
The game was put in Spain's face very early with two goals in just 10 minutes. Oihane Hernández headed a corner served by Tere Abelleira from the left at the far post at will in the 4th minute (0-1). And seven later, Salma Paralluelo created the second with a sensational play on the left wing with a backward pass from the baseline that her Barça teammate Alexia Putellas finished from inside the area. Two arrivals, two goals.
A 0-2 in 11 minutes that ended the duel in Zurich, since the defensive solidity exhibited by Spain and its touch and possession game made a Swiss comeback more than unlikely. The Swiss had their best chance in a shot by Alisha Lehmann that was taken by Misa Rodríguez (m. 22), and a second approach by Saraina Piubel that sent it wide (m. 44) and showed a point of Spanish relaxation.
In the second half, Spain's dominance translated into María Méndez's 0-3 lead. The Levante central defender headed a corner served by Abelleira (m. 56). Alexia Putellas extended the score with the 0-4 penalty, forced by Paralluelo (m. 62). Switzerland made up for the defeat with Pilgrim's 1-4 on a counterattack (m. 69) and Athenea Del Castillo completed the score with two more goals, by heading a great cross from Alexia Putellas (m. 72) and connecting a powerful shot (m. 89).
