Historic early morning for the Spanish team, which qualified for the first time in its history for the World Cup semifinals. A match that had to be decided in extra time after Van der Gragt equalized Mariona Caldentey's goal in added time ten minutes from time. Salma Paralluelo, ironically the only change in Jorge Vilda's eleven, came off the bench to score, at 111, the decisive goal that sends Spain to the semifinals. The rival will come out of the second tie of the day between Sweden and Japan.
For the first time in the entire World Cup, Jorge Vilda sat Salma Paralluelo on the bench. It was the only change after the revolution in the eleven lived in the round of 16 against Switzerland. Instead, he fielded a Mariona who, together with Ona Batlle and Jenni Hermoso, made Spain's left wing one of the team's best offensive weapons.
The Netherlands did not lock themselves in and went looking for their rival with high pressure with which they tried to make it difficult to get the ball out, but 'the red' read the game well and unloaded the game to the wings to decongest a very busy midfield populated by the Dutch.
Spain was far superior to the 'oranje', who went to halftime without having finished off the goal once again defended by Cata Coll. Quite the opposite of the Spanish attack, a true dagger on the left flank and with some very active Esther González and Alba Redondo up top. The latter had the clearest chance of the first 45 minutes after receiving a filtered pass from a successful Mariona. The Levante forward did not think twice and she finished off with a header before an attentive Van Domselaar, who deflected the ball to the post. In the rebound, the Albacete header headed again with all the intention, but her goal was again frustrated with the wood.
They were trying again and again, with patience and success, a Spanish team that deserved the goal that would come in the 37th minute. Again, it originated from a run on the left wing by Ona Batlle who connected with Alba Redondo so that she would leave it for Esther . The Real Madrid forward sent the ball into the back of the net, but the move would be invalidated for offside. And so, despite the dominance in possession and chances, the Netherlands came alive at halftime.
Spain returned to the field determined to corner the rival. A close-range shot from Esther to the post and a shot from Mariona from the balcony of the area served to put fear into the body of the 'Oranje', powerless before the Spanish superiority. But the minutes passed and the deserved goal did not arrive. To add more emotion to the match, Frappart signaled Irene Paredes' penalty on Beerensteyn. In one of the team's few defensive errors, winning behind Laia Codina, the Dutch striker faced Cata Coll's area and Irene Paredes had to come out to cover her. In the struggle to win the position, Beernsteyn fell to the ground and the referee signaled the maximum penalty, but she was called by the VAR to review the action and the French referee rectified, annulled the penalty and withdrew the card from Paredes.
Aware that he had to step up, Andrei Jonkers put his team ahead and pushed harder, looking for a mistake to counter with Beerensteyn and Martens. They were the worst minutes for 'la roja' so far and Vilda also moved the bench giving entry to Salma Paralluelo for an Alba Redondo that had been emptied in a very complete game. Precisely from the boots of the FC Barcelona winger would come the play that would change everything. His cross into the area ran into Van der Gragt's hand and the VAR called Frappart again, who did not need a second repetition to determine the maximum penalty.
Jenni Hermoso gave the ball to Mariona Caldentey who, with a low, powerful shot so close to the post that it bounced off the wood, ended up piercing Van Domselaar's goal to score a historic goal for the Spanish team. A bit that sealed the pass to the semifinals.
The Netherlands did not lower its arms, which immediately showed Spain that it had no intention of surrendering. Beerensteyn got past the defense in one of the few disconnections he had in the game and tried his luck with a shot that fortunately went wide. It was the prelude to the worst omens for 'la roja'. Only the first of Frappart's 12 added minutes had been played when Van der Gragt recovered from his penalty. The former FC Barcelona player made him forget his mistake with a great goal set to the long post by Cata Coll, who couldn't do anything to avoid the draw.
Minute 91 and it was time to start over for a Spain that went from more to less. A dangerous tendency to go to extra time. And more without Aitana Bonmatí, whom Vilda had sat on the bench after Mariona's 1-0. Imprecise, the Spanish team did not know very well what to do to recover the good feelings. When the 'red' needed the most to have the ball, the Blaugrana midfielder was left without. The entrance of Alexia Putellas and Eva Navarro -by Esther and Mariona- tried to wake up the team, but it was Beernsteyn who was creating the most danger. Until the madness broke out in Wellington. Salma Paralluelo started the gallop down the left wing, planted herself in the area and, with great composure, adjusted the shot to the post and the ball, after bouncing off the wood, ended up in the back of the goal.
A goal that put Spain in the semifinals and which was celebrated by all the players, those on the field and those on the bench, hugging each other on the sidelines of the Wellington Regional stadium. The Netherlands did not have time to react and 'la roja' sealed a historic qualification to the semifinals, where next Tuesday (10 a.m.) they will meet the winner of the duel between Sweden and Japan (9:30 a.m.).
2. Spain: Cata Coll; Oihane Hernández (m.91, Olga Carmona), Irene Paredes, Laia Codina (m.77, Ivana Andrés), Ona Batlle; Teresa Abelleira, Aitana Bonmatí (m.88, Irene Guerrero), Jennifer Hermoso; Alba Redondo (m.71, Salma Paralluelo), Mariona Caldentey (m.100, Alexia Putellas), Esther González (m.100, Eva Navarro).
Coach: Jorge Vilda.
1. Netherlands: Daphne Van Domselaar; Stefanie Van Der Gragt, Sherida Spitse (m.85, Katjia Snoeijs), Dominique Janssen; Jill Roord, Damaris Egurrola (m.96, Caitlin Dijkstra), Jackie Groenen, Victoria Pelova, Esmee Brugts (m. 89, Aniek Nouwen); Lineth Beerenstein, Lieke Martens.
Coach: Andries Jonker.
Goals: 1-0, m.81: Mariona Caldentey. 1-1, m.90 1: Stefanie van der Gragt. 2-1, m.111, Salma Paralluelo.
Referee: Stéphanie Frappart, from France. She admonished the Spanish Oihane Hernández, Irene Paredes and the Dutch Damaris Egurrola with a yellow card.
Incidents: Match for the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, played at the Wellington Regional Stadium before 32,021 spectators.
