Photo by Ane Frosaker/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
A flurry of goals in the final minutes saw Spain edge Sweden in a thrilling match
In the 89th minute of the Women’s World Cup semi-final between Spain and Sweden, the matter was still in doubt.
Mere seconds later, Spain’s Olga Carmona erased that doubt.
Keeper Zecira Musovic just got a fingertip to Carmona’s left-footed rocket, but it was not enough to keep Carmona’s blast out of goal. The effort from the Spanish fullback broke a 1-1 tie and put Spain on the verge of their first-ever Women’s World Cup Final. La Roja held on over the eight minutes of stoppage time for the 2-1 victory, putting them on the verge of their first Women’s World Cup title.
The two sides took turns on the attack over the first 70-plus minutes, with Sweden having the best chance before the halftime break. Nathalie Björn settled the ball at her feet and crossed to an unmarked Fridolina Rolfö in the box, but keeper Cata Coll turned the effort aside:
In the 81st minute, a team finally broke through, and it was Spain. Salma Paralluelo, who was the hero for La Roja in their quarterfinal match against the Netherlands, was again monumental for Jorge Vilda off the bench. The supersub, who came on in the 57th minute, beat a pair of defenders to a poor clearance, and sliced a right-footed shot past Musovic to break the 0-0 tie:
Spain’s one-goal lead would be short-lived.
Minutes later Lina Hurtig — whose penalty kick pushed Sweden past the USWNT in the Round of 16 — found Rebecka Blomqvist with a header, and Blomqvist converted to tie the match yet again:
With just minutes remaining before stoppage time, the match seemed destined for extra time. But Spain would not settle for extra time, as just a minute later La Roja won a corner kick. Instead of putting a ball into the box, Teresa Abelleira played it short to Carmona, which in hindsight looks like the perfect decision:
Carmona settled the ball at her feet and put everything into her left-footed attempt, and Musovic was only able to get her fingertips to the ball, deflecting it up into the crossbar, before it careened back into the net.
The keeper’s reaction told the story:
Carmona’s screamer was enough, and Spain held on over stoppage time for the 2-1 win.
They now await the winner of Wednesday’s match between England and Australia to see who they will face in their first-ever Women’s World Cup Final.
