Wild drama in Wellington has seen Spain via to the Women’s World Cup semi-finals — and the Netherlands crashing out of the match after a “hand of god” second.
Spain landed the decisive blow within the 111th minute of the epic contest and the winner got here after a number of moments of excessive drama.
It might so simply have been the Dutch transferring via they usually could effectively have performed so — if two controversial VAR selections had not gone towards them.
Instead, it’s Spain who rode the rollercoaster to win 2-1 because the momentum continued to swing in each durations of additional time.
They have been deserved winners after dominating the primary 80 minutes of the match — however there shall be some outcry within the Netherlands over the dramatic calls that went towards them.
Spain had gone forward within the eightieth minute, nonetheless, the match was turned on its head when Dutch star Stefanie van der Gragt went from villain to hero with a objective within the 91st minute.
Spain will now transfer via to a semi-final the place they are going to play the winner of Friday night time’s conflict between Japan and Sweden.
1.50pm – Spain rating additional time stunner to win a traditional
Spain has stolen victory after a second of magic within the 111th minute — simply moments after a Netherlands star butchered a golden probability.
Teenager Salma Paralluelo did all of it by herself, dancing round two defenders earlier than burying a strike previous the keeper.
Paralluelo was put via from an extended vary cross after which threatened to cross the ball on the sting of the field earlier than she turned inside her defender and completed off the stylish objective.
It was a hammer blow for the Netherlands after Lineth Beerensteyn practically scored up the opposite finish. The Dutch star discovered herself with a bouncing ball at her knees from level clean vary after a messy throw in that Spain didn’t clear.
From simply outdoors the six-yard field, her highly effective shot sailed above the objective.
It was the very subsequent section of play the place Spain landed the telling blow.
1pm – Netherlands rating in fairytale comeback
Ten minutes after committing a mistake that may hang-out her for all times, Stefanie van der Gragt popped as much as rating a thundering equaliser because the match went into added time.
Van der Gragt was the rationale Spain was capable of rating its first objective from a penalty.
But she might effectively be a nationwide hero after she was moved to play up ahead and scored with a robust proper foot shot that screamed previous the goalkeeper only a few minutes later.
12.45pm – Absolute insanity as star loses the plot with handball
Stefanie van der Gragt buried her face in her arms after a penalty was awarded to Spain through a VAR determination.
The defender was seen stretching her arm out to cease a cross coming into the field — and replays confirmed her arm was over the road, regardless of her ft being outdoors the world.
“She looks almost inconsolable,” a commentator mentioned on Optus Sport.
Mariona Caldentey slotted the penalty with a shot that bounced in after hitting the within of the submit.
Aussie soccer star Chloe Logarzo mentioned on Optus Sport: “What is she doing? You know football. You’re close to the box. You should retract your arm. She’s lucky she didn’t get a card because it was on purpose”.
The Matildas participant after the match described it as a “hand of god” second.
“Not the best hand of god,” she mentioned.
“It was a massive brain snap. A massive moment for them.”
12.30pm – Netherlands denied penalty in VAR drama
The Netherlands have been denied a penalty and an opportunity to land a suckerpunch on Spain.
Lineth Beerensteyn was introduced down within the field as she chased via a ball that bought her behind the Spanish defence.
Defender Irene Paredes then appeared to shove Beerensteyn to the bottom as she turned to chase the ball.
Replays confirmed there was important contact between the 2, nonetheless, referee Stephanie Frappart reversed her determination after wanting on the footage of the incident.
The contact was dominated to have been shoulder-to-shoulder with Parades maintaining her arm tucked into her physique.
The yellow card issued to Paredes was additionally withdrawn.
12pm – Huge controversy as Spain has objective taken away
Spain have been denied once more after a brutal VAR evaluate.
Esther Gonzalez was capable of faucet in a ball on the far submit after a cross-goal cross that left Netherlands goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar abandoned.
The transfer began with a intelligent flip from Ona Batlle and her cross break up open the Dutch defence.
However, replays confirmed the ultimate cross to Gonzalez caught her a fraction offside – and it was sufficient to take the objective off Spain by a matter of centimetres.
“This moment was just a little bit offside, but you can feel it’s coming,” Chloe Logarzo mentioned on Optus Sport at half time.
“It’s been building and building.”
The half time stats confirmed Spain had touched the ball 23 occasions inside their attacking penalty space – in comparison with the Netherlands’ complete of two.
11.30am – Spain denied by the woodwork twice
Alba Redondo has hit the submit twice in a matter of seconds in a second that had Netherlands gamers with their hearts of their mouths.
Redondo bought onto the top of a pleasant ball in from Mariona Caldentey and her header was tipped onto the submit by goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
Redondo then bought a boot onto the ball because it rebounded however she was caught off stability because the ball bounced again to her and her faucet bobbled into the submit once more.
Netherlands flip to spies for Spain conflict
Netherlands coach Andries Jonker says he “knows everything” about Spain forward of their Women’s World Cup quarter-final on Friday, thanks partially to former Spanish worldwide Damaris Egurrola.
Egurrola made one look for Spain in a pleasant and was an everyday of their youth groups, however the midfielder now performs for the Netherlands and is competition to start out in Wellington.
Jonker and his teaching employees have additionally been briefed about what to anticipate from defender Merel van Dongen, who performs for Atletico Madrid, whereas Stefanie van der Gragt and Lieke Martens each had spells with Barcelona.
“We know everything about Spain. We have a small book about them,” Jonker mentioned on Thursday.
“We spoke with our gamers, and naturally Damaris, who is aware of so much about Spain. Our scouting workforce did its job.
— AFP
Source: www.news.com.au
