Spain knocks Dutch runners-up out of the 2023 World Cup
* Score: Caldentey pen 81', Paralluelo 111' - Van der Gragt 90'+1
Spain beat the Netherlands in the last three matches, scoring five and not conceding a goal. On Sky Wellington this morning, August 11, the girls in red still played with control and bounced the ball short with a ball control rate of 62%. The statistics on the number of shots and shots on target also favor Spain, at 28-10 and 8-4 respectively.
Immediately after the opening whistle, Spain continuously created opportunities but Mariona Caldentey and Alba Redondo missed. In the 37th minute, the Netherlands conceded a goal, but the referee determined Ona Batlle was offside, before passing it to Esther Gonzalez.
In the second half, the game was unchanged, but suddenly the Netherlands received a penalty in the 63rd minute. However, VAR intervened, determining that Irene Paredes did not commit a foul on striker Lineth Beerensteyn. However, in the 79th minute, in the next situation the referee blew a penalty, Spain took the opportunity to score. Center-back Van der Gragt let the ball touch his hand in the penalty area, and from the 11m mark, Caldentey easily defeated goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, opening the match.
The Netherlands rose to attack, then gained more confidence when the referee announced the second half had 12 minutes of compensation. And in the first minute of compensation, the defending runner-up got results. Victoria Pelova cleverly poked a slot for Van der Gragt to finish, equalize, and at the same time atone for the previous mistake.
In the extra time, the Netherlands had more good chances, but missed. In the 111th minute, Beerensteyn cushioned the ball over the bar at close range, then Spain organized a quick counterattack. Substitute Salma Paralluelo dribbled a technical ball on the left wing, shot diagonally and hit the edge of the right post to score a 2-1 scoreline.
Beating the defending runner-up, Spain reached the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup for the first time, facing the winner in the match between Japan and Sweden.
Spain: Cata Coll, Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Oihane Hernandez, Laia Codina, Teresa Abelleira, Aitana Bonmati, Jenifer Hermoso, Mariona Caldentey, Esther Gonzalez, Alba Redondo
Netherlands: Daphne Van Domselaar, Stefanie Van der Gragt, Sherida Spitse, Dominique Janssen, Jill Roord, Jackie Groenen, Victoria Pelova, Damaris Egurrola, Esmee Brugts, Lineth Beerensteyn, Lieke Martens.
