The Women’s World Cup will have a new name on the trophy. Days after upsetting the United States of America – the four-time winners who were aiming for a hat-trick of titles – Sweden, ranked No. 3 in the world, took out the competition’s in-form side, Japan. The Swedes were good value for their 2-1 win, and will now face Spain, who made it to the last four for the first time after seeing off the Netherlands, runners-up in 2019, 2-1 after extra time.
Sweden had been poor against the USA, barely summoning up an attack of note in the regulation 90 minutes. But in a much more open encounter against Japan at Auckland’s Eden Park, they were on the front foot right from the early stages. Stina Blackstenius, who plays her club football for Arsenal, was the lone striker, but there was enough support from the midfield five behind her as Sweden refused to allow Japan to set the sort of passing rhythm that have overwhelmed both Spain and Norway.
The first goal, when it came though, was from a defender. Amanda Ilestedt joined Arsenal in the off-season from Paris Saint-Germain, and her rich vein of scoring form in the tournament continued when she smashed the ball in from the edge of the six-yard box after a spell of pinball inside the Japanese area. Saki Kumagai, Japan’s captain and defensive stalwart, had a final opportunity to clear the ball, but was preoccupied with trying to avoid a handball from close range.
Sweden would have gone into half-time two ahead but for a stunning fingertip save from Ayaka Yamashita, who touched a long-range effort from Kosovare Asllani on to the post. Another similarly brilliant save at the start of the second half merely delayed the inevitable. Fuka Nagano was penalised for a handball in the area, and though there was no intent, the present-day laws are such that the referee had no option. Filippa Angeldahl tucked it away, and Sweden had a foot in the final four.
But Japan hadn’t been the neutrals’ favourites for nothing. After an utterly insipid first half where they didn’t even test Zecira Musovic in the Sweden goal, they piled on the pressure in the last half hour. With a quarter hour of normal time remaining, Riko Ueki, the second-half substitute, was fouled in the box. She herself stepped up to take the spot kick, but smashed it against the bar.
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Undaunted, Japan kept pushing, and Honoka Hayashi, another of the substitutes introduced in the second half, set up a grandstand finish with a close-rang poacher’s goal. But though more than 10 minutes was added on, Japan couldn’t find the goal that would have taken it to extra time.
Earlier, at the Wellington Regional Stadium, Spain were dragged to extra time by the Dutch after making the mistake of assuming they had the game won. As expected, Jorge Vilda’s team had dominated possession, with the Netherlands not managing a single shot on target in the first hour. But with Alexia Putellas again on the bench, and Aitana Bonmati well shackled, the closest Spain came were two efforts from Alba Redondo midway through the first half. Daphne van Domselaar deflected her header on to the post, and when Redondo then tried to place the ball in the corner, it came back off the woodwork.
Soon after, Esther Gonzalez had the ball in the back of the Dutch net, but the VAR showed that she had been half a yard offside when Redondo passed to her. The breakthrough when it came late in the second half was courtesy a handball decision confirmed by replays. Stefanie van der Gragt, with over 100 caps to her name and playing her final tournament before retiring at the age of 30, was the culprit, and Mariona Caldentay, the Barcelona forward, made no mistake from 12 yards.
Spain then took off Bonmati, the star of the win against Switzerland in the previous round, and almost paid the price, as van der Gragt redeemed herself with a clinical finish when sent through in the first minute of added time. On to extra time, and though it was Spain who enjoyed most of the possession, Lineth Beerensteyn – the forward who had expressed her happiness at the ‘big mouth’ USA being knocked out – had two golden chances to win it for the Dutch. She broke through the backline on each occasion but placed her finishes agonisingly wide of the post.
That profligacy was punished in the 111th minute, as Salma Paralluelo, a 71st-minute substitute for Redondo, latched on to a delightful through ball from Jenni Hermoso before a superb finish in off the far post. Paralluelo, the teenage Barcelona star born to a Spanish father and a mother from Equatorial Guinea, competed as a 400m runner and hurdler at the European level when a junior, and she streaked clear of the Dutch defensive cover to settle the game.
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