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It seemed like it would be the neverending story once again, like the set he played like never before and lost like always, would repeat itself. Memories of Spain’s last two relegations in the big events, at the 2019 World Cup against the United States and at the 2022 Euros against England, where they played football but didn’t get a win. However, it turned out that Mariona first and Salma in the second part of the overtime refuted Michael Ende and his Neverending Story, stilettos of a Spain playing and defeating the Spanish, the triumph that rewrote its history.
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Cata Coll, Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle, Oihane Hernández, Laia Codina, Teresa Abelleira, Aitana Bonmatí, Jenni Hermoso, Mariona Caldentey, Esther González and Alba Redondo
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Daphne van Domselaar, Dominique Janssen, Stefanie van der Gragt, Sherida Spitse, Victoria Pelova, Jill Roord, Jackie Groenen, Esmee Brugts, Damaris Egurrola, Lineth Beerensteyn and Lieke Martens
Goals 1-0 mins 80: Mariona Caldentey. 1-1 min 91: Stefanie van der Gragt. 2-1 min 111: Salma Paralluelo.
referee Stephanie Frappart
Yellow cards Oihane Hernández (min. 35) and Damaris Egurrola (min. 60)
Vilda decided to give continuity to the Revolution, a team modeled after the one that beat Switzerland in the quarter-finals, except for Mariona’s use of Salma, a winger with less overflow and movement but with more effort and ease to counter the ball to hold the square that formed the tulips in the middle. It was also a great success because the footballer interpreted the spaces and the duel like no other, since the Dutch proposal to accumulate the players in the interiors required a dismissive and precise game that La Roja defends because they prefer the pass to Running and the touch to the physical as the little ones or gore must release the ball before receiving the tarascada. And since the foot prevailed, Spain was meant.
Although it was difficult for her to conjugate the ball from behind, she got stuck in the face of the rivals’ advanced chicanery, but the one who broke the line arrived on the opposing field with equal figures. Eden for Mariona, who shared her play with runs and centers, talented football. In one of them he found Esther, who built a wall with Jenni and was left alone in front of Van Domselaar. But between shooting and passing with stuttering feet, he chose the middle ground and the opportunity stalled in the borage waters. Despite Spain hitting on the left, Mariona settled deeper in the middle than on other occasions and mastered Alba Redondo, who headed him after a diagonal; Shot blocked by the goalkeeper with a mitt, ball hits the post. At the dismissal, forced and with her injured leg (her right), Alba tried her luck again to take an unfortunate slap in the face as the post damn it spat the ball back out.
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The Netherlands didn’t respond too much, perhaps with the runs from Lineth Bolt Beerensteyn, all disoriented anyway with the ball being tight between their feet, only compounded by an advanced harassment that at times made Spain shudder and tremble from responsibility and pressure . Like that pass rock back to Cata who instead of throwing it at Conchinchina tried to put it in play, a ball for the rival that could well have hit the target, in the end the game was stopped because the ball flew out of the gate was the ground. Or an arm raised by Laia Codina on a corner kick that almost touched the ball… But not much more because La Roja was piling up the round and because the duel was played on the other side of the net where Jenni and Aitana were playing quarterbacks, where Esther and Mariona tested the middle-distance shot. There was more to do, red flare, a spectacle from Mariona skipping another pressure line with a control in the turn and laying a new cross for Alba who hit her hard with the inside but at least for an Esther putting the loop to send it to the network. It was a goal but it wasn’t worth it, offside recognized by VAR. Many opportunities for no end, an echo of the hackneyed phrase “forgive pays off”.
The Spanish players celebrate Mariona’s penalty goal. AARON GILLIONS (EFE)
It all started the way it ended after the break, with a cut from Esther – a little giantess struggling with the world to stretch the pitch and create spaces – and a whiplash ball tickling the outside post. More of the same and even less from the Netherlands who still couldn’t find Jill Roord (she ended up being substituted) or Martens, utter nonsense, penalized because Spain didn’t slow down because they took over every second play. Although the Netherlands kept their spice, Beerensteyn’s hypersonic runs kept his scared mouth because he won the run down the middle and because, noticing a touch behind Paredes, he jumped into the box to provoke a penalty. The VAR again discredited the “go on, go on” whistle for Paredes using his body with the position won. Holland then understood that their football had to be built up with long movements and behind the opposing defence, balls that Cata Coll, however, disabled with their feet and cold blood. Enough to regain the ball and initiative and reign supreme in midfield again.
And now, with Salma on the field, legs so I love you, La Roja shifted gears, bankruptcies and sprints, also a cross that turned into poison because Van der Gragt put his hand and unconsciousness, a penalty , who didn’t see the shot at College, but the VAR did because the limb was within range. The flaming Mariona begged Jenni for the ball – she missed one against Costa Rica – and challenged Van Domselaar. Shot from the right flank and deep, on the post and in the net, the rebellion of Spain. Or almost.
Mainly as the Netherlands were advancing the lines and Spain, a little apprehensive, decided to delay their lines while Vilda opted for muscle power – Irene Guerrero for Aitana – over control. Loss of initiative to even out the result, loss of course. Wow for the Netherlands, always physical and running like a devil, deep balls that more than pupate the opposition defense. So much so that the Tulip chances came, one from Beerensteyn, one from Snoeljs and another, the last, from Van der Gragt, a breakthrough from behind and amazing definition: an injury-time draw. The ghosts of Spain resurfaced, nightmares had already lived, an extension was in sight.
Without as many legs or oxygen, Spain then tried to play what they can: football shooting at a more physically complete Holland. Vilda also bet on what is known to go back to her roots, using Alexia to protect the ball and catapulting it, also accelerating it in the hot zones with Eva Navarro. And a cross from him was well worth Jenni’s shot and Van Domselaar’s effort. Spain returned to play and smile. But Beerensteyn had more fuel, more races to offer, like the one he started against Cata, a good chance and a bad definition. Holland, Holland!” echoed in the stadium. Deaf ears to Salma who, an athlete by vocation and a footballer by passion, mixed their passions to play Speedy Gonsalez, catch the ball on the run, invent a dribbling and hit the cross shot, again on the post, but this Once she did, inside. Thus, Spain will make their debut in a World Cup semi-final. Thanks to the choir, thanks to Mariona from Spain and thanks to Salma with the cape.
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