Spain teammates have a good time their victory over England within the closing of the Ladies’s World Cup at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday.
Alessandra Tarantino/AP
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Alessandra Tarantino/AP
Spain teammates have a good time their victory over England within the closing of the Ladies’s World Cup at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday.
Alessandra Tarantino/AP
SYDNEY — Spain gained its first Ladies’s World Cup title lower than a yr after a participant revolt, holding off England 1-0 on Sunday after Olga Carmona’s first-half aim.
Spain’s first main worldwide trophy made it the primary European group to win the Ladies’s World Cup since Germany in 2007.
On the closing whistle the Spanish gamers piled on one another in entrance of their aim.
Carmona’s left-foot shot within the twenty ninth minute went into the far nook of the web and simply out of attain of diving England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
In celebration she raised her jersey to disclose the phrase “Merchi” scrawled in ink on her undershirt, an obvious nod to her former college.
Carmona additionally scored the game-winner within the 89th minute of Spain’s 2-1 semifinal victory over Sweden, turning into the primary participant since Carli Lloyd in 2015 to attain in a World Cup semifinal and closing.
Spain had an opportunity to double the lead within the 68th however Jenni Hermoso’s penalty try was saved by Earps, who anticipated completely and dived to her left.
Spain’s victory comes regardless of a near-mutiny by gamers final yr. Fifteen gamers mentioned they had been stepping away from the nationwide group for his or her psychological well being whereas additionally calling for a extra skilled setting.
Three of these gamers — Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey — reconciled with the federation and had been on the World Cup.
England had momentum going into the event after successful the European Championship at residence final summer season. However three of the group’s finest gamers, captain Leah Williamson, Fran Kirby and Beth Mead, all had knee accidents that saved them off the World Cup squad.
England coach Sarina Wiegman was the primary coach to take her groups to back-to-back World Cup title matches. She led the Netherlands to the ultimate in 2019, however fell 2-0 to the USA. She’s now 0-2.
England was coming off a 3-1 victory over host Australia within the semifinal. Lauren James, who was the group’s prime scorer with three objectives and three assists, was compelled to sit down out two matches due to a suspension for stomping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie to open the knockout stage.
Whereas James was obtainable for the ultimate, Wiegman began Ella Toone. James got here into the match to start out the second half.
The sport was briefly interrupted within the twenty fifth minute by an individual who raced onto the sector however was shortly tackled by safety.
Considered one of England’s finest probabilities was within the sixteenth when Lauren Hemp’s blast caromed off the crossbar. A minute later, Salma Paralluelo raced to the aim however could not get a clear shot and Earps stopped Alba Redondo’s try within the scramble in entrance of the web.
Vilda began 19-year-old Paralluelo, who scored the breakthrough aim for Spain towards Sweden, and the game-winner in further time over the Netherlands within the quarterfinals.
Paralluelo’s practically scored seconds from half time however her shot hit the submit. She was handed a yellow card within the 78th minute for a foul on Alex Greenwood, who had a lower above her eye.
Hemp had one other likelihood within the 54th however despatched it vast. A minute later she was handed a yellow card for a foul on Laia Codina.
Spain had an opportunity to double the lead within the 68th after a video evaluate awarded a penalty after Keira Walsh’s handball. However Earps saved England within the recreation, as she did with a succession of saves late.
Coach Jorge Vilda had a problem in working round two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, who was nonetheless working her means again from a torn ACL final yr. For the ultimate, Putellas was on the bench at the beginning.
Putellas went into the sport with 15 seconds left in regulation, however there have been 13 minutes of stoppage time.
There have been 75,784 followers on the closing at Stadium Australia, together with tennis nice Billie Jean King.
The 2 groups met final yr within the quarterfinals of the Euros, with England coming from behind to beat Spain 2-1 in further time on Georgia Stanway’s aim.
