Women’s World Cup: The Spaniards defy all odds

“We deserved it,” said Salma Paralluelo, who gave Spain a 1-0 lead in the 81st minute. “We showed that the team can handle anything.” Did she mean Rebecka Blomqvist’s equalizer (88′), after which Olga Carmona shot the Spaniards 2-1 into the final in regular time (89′)? Or the difficult relationship with team boss Jorge Vilda? Eleven months ago, the Spanish FA announced that 15 players would face resignation if the 42-year-old was not sacked. With the federation behind the coach, the team stormed to the greatest success in Spanish women’s football history. “We’re in the final. My hair stands on end,” said Vilda.

For Sweden, however, the dream was shattered after their fourth defeat in the fifth World Cup semi-final. “You’re empty, you’re disappointed, you’re fed up with tears at a World Cup and what’s being said,” said midfielder Kosovare Asllani. “I didn’t think we would experience that again.” Only in 2003 was the final successful, after the 1:2 against Germany there were also tears.

Australia with home advantage

Spain’s opponent in the final will be determined on Wednesday in a duel between co-hosts Australia and England (12 noon, ORF 1). The “Matildas” are clear outsiders against the European champions. “One thing we have and they don’t have is the support and belief of the fans. That alone will be huge,” said team boss Tony Gustavsson as he previewed the match in front of 75,000 spectators in Sydney.

The penalty shoot-out against France in the quarter-finals was watched on television by more than seven million people in Australia. The last time a sporting event in the country attracted such a large number of spectators was Cathy Freeman’s 400-meter dash at the Sydney Olympics 23 years ago.