FIFA Women’s World Cup: Spain beat Netherlands in extra time thriller

At Wellington Regional Stadium: Spain 2 (Mariona Caldentey pen-81’, Salma Paralluelo 111’) Netherlands 1 after extra time (Stefanie van der Gragt 90+1). HT: 0-0 FT: 1-1

Salma Paralluelo has sent Spain into the semifinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup after La Roja survived an extra-time thriller to beat the Netherlands 2-1 in Wellington on Friday.

The 19-year-old substitute sparked mass celebrations when she scored in the 111th minute of their quarterfinal to keep Spain’s bid for a first World Cup triumph alive.

The world No 6 will now play either Japan or Sweden in the semifinals in Auckland next Tuesday – the last World Cup match to be played in New Zealand.

“It means everything to me. It was a unique moment, great euphoria to live through and I am extremely happy,” Spain’s youngest player said.

“[My coach] told me to make sure I was open for the passes, that I could be in the right spaces and compete as much as I could. I was lucky to score. I was very happy.”

Paralluelo, a former sprinter, won the game for Spain when she raced onto a pass from Jenni Hermoso, cut inside defender Aniek Nouwen and fired the ball past goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.

It was a sucker punch for the Netherlands, who had sent the game to extra-time after centre-back Stefanie van der Gragt, playing as a striker in the dying moments, drew level with a world-class strike in the 91st minute.

Mariona Caldentey put Spain in front with nine minutes to go in regulation time when she stepped up and coolly slotted a penalty.

Caldentey picked out the bottom left corner and the ball skimmed off the inside of the post and crossed the line, leaving van Domselaar with no chance to save it.

After starting every other game, Paralluelo was named on the bench for Friday’s quarterfinal in the only change to Spain’s starting lineup.

But her introduction midway through the second half provided the cutting edge her team needed.

The penalty was awarded following a VAR check when Paralluelo burst down the right and whipped in a cross which brushed against the hand of van der Gragt.

The handball was initially missed by referee Stephanie Frappart.

The Netherlands thought they should have had a penalty down the other end when Lineth Beerensteyn was nudged in the back by Irene Paredes and went down in the box.

Frappart pointed to the point but overturned her decision after VAR intervened and recommended she take another look at the TV monitor.

Spain deserved their lead. They had dominated the first 90 minutes – outshooting Netherlands 11-0 in the first half – but were left to rue some agonisingly close misses.

Alba Redondo was denied by the post twice in quick succession after Aitana Bonmati floated a ball over the top.

Van Domselaar parried Redondo’s header onto the post and she struck it again with her follow-up effort.

Esther Gonzalez had the ball in the back of the net when she tapped in from close-range following a misplaced shot from Redondo.

But Spain’s stand-in captain was in an offside position and the goal was disallowed.

After Caldentey put them in front from the spot, Spain took off star playmaker Bonmati and brought on the more defensive Irene Guerro in an attempt to see the game out.

The decision almost backfired when van der Gragt charged through on goal and scored with a powerful strike from the edge of the box in stoppage time, leaving Spain to see out extra-time without one of their most creative players.

However, Barcelona starlet Paralluelo stepped up when Spain needed her most, producing the goal of her career to save Spain’s World Cup campaign.

Moments after Beerensteyn skied a shot from right in front, Spain went down the other end and scored.

Spain coach Jorge Vilda was full of praise for his young star after the game, saying her potential is through the roof.

“She helped us with what we wanted to achieve. First of all she played on the right wing and she played well but we saw her best play when she was a left wing,” Vilda said.

“She’s a player with enormous potential and she’s not reached her best. She’s a very young player who has only trained for one year in football specifically and the best of Salma we will see in the future.

“Now, she’s excellent but in the future it’s going to be much, much more.”