By Ben McKay
Spain have defied the Netherlands and a mercurial performance from Stefanie van der Gragt to win through to their first Women’s World Cup semi-final with a 2-1 win in Wellington.
A contest of mighty momentum swings looked settled when Mariona Caldentey scored an 81st-minute penalty for Spain.
However, Van de Gragt, the culprit for Spain’s goal with a handball just centimetres inside the box, turned Dutch saviour, scoring a 91st-minute equaliser to force extra time.
After Lineth Beerensteyn spurned a pair of superb chances at one end, 19-year-old sensation Salma Paralluelo raced up the pitch to settle it with a 111st-minute breakaway.
Against the flow: Spain’s Salma Paralluelo scores the winning goal.Credit: AP
Spain’s prize is a place in the last four, where they may come face-to-face with their group-stage tormentor Japan, who face Sweden later on Friday in their quarter-final.
The all-Euro contest in New Zealand’s capital was settled by two Spanish strikes off the inside of the post.
For the opening hour, Spain played the Netherlands off the park, including an opening-half shot count of 11-0: the first time in World Cup history the Dutch contested an entire 45 minutes without taking a shot.
Spain rattled off the chances from the fifth minute, when Esther Gonzalez played a one-two with Jenni Hermoso before dinking an effort across goal.
Alba Redondo hit the post twice after receiving Hermoso’s flighted pass; first heading onto the frame, and striking the woodwork again after sticking out a boot at the rebound while on the ground.
The winner: Spain’s Salma Paralluelo.Credit: Getty Images
Spain had an effort chalked off when Redondo met a cross poorly, inadvertently volleying to Gonzalez who tapped in from an offside position.
The Spaniards picked up where they left off after the break, with Gonzalez curling centimetres wide within 30 seconds of the restart.
Then came the sliding-doors moments of two second-half penalties – one withdrawn and one given.
When substitute Lynn Wilms played Beerensteyn through and the Dutch forward collapsed under pressure from Irene Paredes, referee Stephanie Frappert awarded a Dutch spot kick.
Beerensteyn – who confessed before the match she was pleased to see the United States out of the tournament – fumed when the award was overturned after a lengthy VAR review.
Central defender Van de Gragt’s involvement in the two regular-time goals was all the more dramatic given she had signalled her intent to retire at tournament’s end.
She displayed all the skills of a seasoned striker when she scored her 91st-minute leveller with a bullet-like shot.
In extra time, Beerensteyn was again at the forefront, missing the target after a mazy run in the 105th minute and from a close-range header in the 110th.
Less than a minute later, 19-year-old substitute Paralluelo – a former sprinter – provided the decisive act, showing composure beyond her years to slot the ball home.
AAP
