Captain Olga Carmona scores the one objective as Spain beat England 1-0 to win the Girls’s World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
Captain Olga Carmona scored the winner within the first half as Spain received the Girls’s World Cup for the primary time, beating England 1-0 within the closing.
La Roja, robbed of a few of their finest expertise by a mutiny against coach Jorge Vilda just a few months in the past and thrashed 4-0 by Japan within the group stage, outplayed England to deservedly declare their first main title in solely their third World Cup in in entrance of 75,784 followers at Stadium Australia on Sunday.
Aitana Bonmati and Teresa Abelleira ran the sport from the Spanish midfield and the margin of victory would have been better had England goalkeeper Mary Earps not saved a second-half penalty.
England’s second defeat in 39 matches since Sarina Wiegman took over as coach denied them the prospect so as to add a maiden world title to the European Championship crown they received final 12 months.
The primary Girls’s World Cup closing to not function both america or Germany began at fairly a tempo with England nearly having fun with the higher hand within the battle of two first-time finalists.
Ahead Lauren Hemp continued the place she left off within the semi-final towards Australia and screwed the ball in direction of objective within the fifth minute earlier than clipping a shot off the bar 12 minutes later.
Spain responded instantly, with Carmona overlapping down the left flank and driving the ball throughout the objective however teenager Salma Paralluelo was unable to make contact and Alba Redondo’s shot from the far publish was nicely saved by Earps.
La Roja took the lead simply earlier than the half-hour mark after England had been dispossessed in midfield and Abelleira curled a elegant cross-field cross to Mariona Caldentey, who slid the ball ahead to Carmona.
The left again drove into the world and let fly with an angled shot which flew previous the fingertips of Earps and into the far nook of the online.
The objective appeared to knock the stuffing out of England and Spain had the higher of the remainder of the half with Paralluelo pinging a shot off the publish simply earlier than the break.
![Spain's Ona Batlle and teammates celebrate after winning the world cup](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-20T121931Z_876612903_UP1EJ8K0Y4I34_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ESP-ENG-REPORT-1692534051.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513)
England have proven their adaptability all through the match and Wiegman switched from three to 4 on the again after the break, whereas bringing Lauren James on for Alessia Russo up entrance.
Spain’s recreation, in contrast, has been unchanging they usually continued to drive ahead with Caldentey bringing a fantastic save out of Earps with a shot from the sting of the field within the fiftieth minute.
Bonmati hit the bar with a long-range effort simply after the hour mark and the Spanish appealed vociferously for a handball towards Keira Walsh throughout their subsequent go to to the England field.
The award of a penalty seemed a formality from the second referee Tori Penso was instructed by VAR to assessment the footage however Earps dived low to her left to cease Jennifer Hermoso’s spot kick.
![Mary Earps of England receives the Golden Glove Award](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/GettyImages-1627177817-1692534470.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513)
James had a shot tipped over the bar by Spanish goalkeeper Cata Coll within the seventy fifth minute however Spain weren’t content material to sit down on their lead and Earps needed to be at her finest to disclaim Ona Batlle because the clock hit the ninetieth minute mark.
England threw all 11 gamers ahead for a nook deep into stoppage time however Coll, taking part in solely her fourth worldwide, got here out confidently to assemble the ball.
Officers indicated 13 minutes of damage time on the finish, but when something, it was Spain who seemed the extra more likely to rating as England’s desires of a primary World Cup melted away.
A visibly disenchanted England captain Millie Shiny shares her views post-match.
“It’s laborious. They’re a incredible crew. We weren’t at our greatest within the first half. Within the second half we put the battle in. We simply couldn’t end it at the moment. That is the laborious a part of soccer,” she mentioned.
“Feelings are excessive. Large quantity of disappointment. We failed. In a few weeks when it settles in we shall be actually proud. We had loads of critics initially of the match. We bounced again. To have the ability to stand right here at the moment is particular.”