Unbeaten Spain are through to the knockout stages of the FIFA Women’s World Cup after a resounding 5-0 win over Zambia in their second Group C match, with Alexia Putellas standing out through her exceptional performance.
Spain started their tournament with a comfortable 3-0 win over Costa Rica, while Zambia suffered a 5-0 defeat to Japan in their opening match. Despite starting on a winning note, Spanish coach Jorge Vilda warned his team against complacency.
The starting line-up for Spain against Zambia consisted of Misa Rodriguez in goal, with Ona Batlle, Teresa Abelleira, Irene Paredes, and Ivana Andres forming the defence. Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey, and Jennifer Hermoso made up the midfield, while Alexia Putellas, Salma Paralluelo, and Olga Carmona played in the forward line.
Zambia’s starting eleven included Eunice Sakala in goal, with Lushomo Mweemba, Susan Banda, Margaret Belemu, and Barbra Banda in defence. Evarine Katongo, Martha Tembo, and Ireen Lungu formed the midfield, while Agness Musesa, Racheal Kundananji, and Siomala Mapepa played up front.
The match kicked off at Eden Park, New Zealand, with Spain playing a 4-3-3 formation and Zambia opting for a similar setup. Alexia Putellas, the captain of Barcelona, was highlighted as one to watch, having won the Ballon d’Or twice.
From the beginning, Spain dominated the game, displaying their eagerness to secure an early victory. In just the 9th minute, Abelleira opened the scoring with a powerful shot from around 23 metres out, finding the top corner of the net. Spain continued their dominance, and in the 13th minute, Putellas delivered a cross to Hermoso who headed home, extending Spain’s lead to 2-0.
Zambia made a double substitution in the 37th minute, bringing on Wilombe and Chitundu. Despite their changes, Spain remained in control. Though Hermoso had a goal disallowed for offside in the 39th minute, Spain ended the first half with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
At halftime, Spain made three substitutions, introducing Redondo, Hernandez, and Navarro for Putellas, Paralluelo, and Batlle. The second half started with Spain dominating possession, enjoying 78% of the ball. While Zambia showed some promise on the counterattack, they lacked the final product.
In the 69th minute, Spain increased their lead to 3-0 when Navarro lifted a ball over the top for Redondo, who rounded the goalkeeper and tapped it into an empty net. Just a minute later, Redondo hit the post, and Hermoso scored from the rebound, but the goal was initially ruled offside. After a lengthy VAR review, the decision was changed, awarding Spain their fourth goal.
In the 85th minute, Navarro provided another cross to Redondo, who took a couple of touches before firing into the corner of the net. The goal was initially flagged offside but, once again, VAR intervened, confirming the goal as valid.
After eight minutes of added time, the match ended with Spain securing a convincing 5-0 victory.
Spain’s dominance throughout the game was evident, and they deservedly progressed to the knockout stages, while Zambia displayed resilience but struggled to match Spain’s class.
Canada vs Republic of Ireland is at 14:00 CAT
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Today’s Fixtures:
Japan 2-0 Costa Rica
Spain 5-0 Zambia
Up next:
Canada vs Republic of Ireland 14:00
Follow @gsport4girls across social media and check out the latest #FIFAWWC updates on gsport.co.za!
Photo Caption: Photo Credit: Spain qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s Football World Cup after beating Zambia 5-nil in their second Group C match. Photo: (c) FIFA (Instagram)
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