45
10:22
Mid-term conclusion:
Then it’s a break, Spain deservedly lead 3-0 against Costa Rica. The Rojitas are superior in all respects and could have led higher, but the game is still decided. Costa Rica has little to oppose, but at least Solera was able to save a penalty. The second period will be all about damage limitation for the Central Americans. See you soon.
45
10:20
End of 1st half
45
10:20
Almost the 4:0. Esther González finds a corner from the left at the front five-yard corner, but her header flies past the left from six yards.
45
10:19
Surprisingly, Teresa Abelleira brings a free kick from the half field flat into the penalty area. There Esther González is then separated from the ball, the required penalty does not exist.
45
10:17
Now it’s getting wild, Spain settles in the penalty area and finishes three or four times. However, a defender always intervenes at the last second, which is why Solera does not have to intervene.
45
10:16
There’s four minutes more. This is mainly due to the celebrations around the gates.
45
10:15
Official stoppage time (minutes): 4
45
10:15
Costa Rica at least got a little braver before the break, a low cross from the right almost ending up at Salas. With combined forces, the Spaniards can clarify.
44
10:14
Just over! Olga Carmona’s crosses often bring danger, now she brings in another one from the left. Esther González climbs the highest in the middle, but her header from a central position of ten meters only flies to the left of the goal roof. That was close.
42
10:12
Since the Spaniards are almost too careless. Actually, they have a lot of rest in the build-up, but a back pass to Misa Rodríguez falls a little short. Herrera can almost splash in between, but the keeper can reach the play equipment earlier with a tackle and clear it.
40
10:10
Again and again it is Athenea del Castillo on the right who tears gaps with her dribbling. In the middle she then finds Salma Paralluelo with a low pass, but her shot from the turn is blocked.
37
10:08
Again and again Spain gets stuck in handball style in the penalty area, now Irene Paredes tries it from the second row. However, the deflected shot does not bring any danger.
36
10:07
A look at the current statistics shows the superiority of the Rojitas. There have been 17:1 deals so far, where one comes from in Costa Rica cannot really be said.
34
10:04
Penalty missed by Jenni Hermoso, Spain
Jenni Hermoso starts, but only shoots halfway into the left corner. Solera suspected that and can parry. That’s a sign of Costa Rica.
33
10:04
Penalty for Spain! Olga Carmona gets the ball on the left side of the penalty area and quickly pulls it into it. Coto then goes in there with a tackle and brings the left-back down. The whistle is fine.
31
10:02 a.m
Deep in his own half, Salas picks up a ball and puts it through with a good dribbling. The subsequent foul on her gives the Costa Ricans at least some time to catch their breath.
29
10:01 a.m
The game is already decided after just under half an hour, it’s just a question of the amount of the Spanish victory. Costa Rica is far too unsorted and also doesn’t get into the duels.
27
09:58
Tooor for Spain, 3-0 through Esther González
It goes on happily. Teresa Abelleira crosses from the right to the far post, where Jenni Hermoso heads in from three yards but only hits the crossbar. The rebound lands on Esther González, who accommodates the ball from a central position of five meters with the high leg from the turn in the box. One can feel sorry for Solera.
27
09:57
A corner variant leads to the next chance. The ball is hit from the right onto the left corner of the penalty area, where Olga Carmona volleys the ball brilliantly. There are a lot of players in front of Solera, which is why she has poor vision. With a bit of luck, however, she can rectify the situation.
26
09:56
This time Solera can parry. Esther González is found in the middle with a cross from the right, but her header from nine yards out is something the goalkeeper can fly. Still, well parried.
25
09:55
Spain goes straight ahead and wants the third goal straight away. Costa Rica needs to collect themselves now, otherwise the game could end badly.
23
09:53
Tooor for Spain, 2-0 through Aitana Bonmatí
The spell is broken and it’s about to move on. Athenea del Castillo dribbles well into the box on the right, then happily bounces the ball to Ona Batlle, who puts it down to Aitana Bonmatí. After a short turn, she cleverly flicks the ball into the left corner from 14 meters, Solera has no chance.
21
09:51
Tooor for Spain, 1-0 through Valeria Del Campo (own goal)
There’s the well-deserved goal, but it’s an own goal. The Spaniards combine from the left over several stations in the sixteen, Esther González then gives flat and sharp inwards. Solera doesn’t get there, Del Campo doesn’t get his legs sorted after a short reaction time and unfortunately sinks the ball from four meters into his own box.
19
09:50
Solera comes out of a corner from the right, but doesn’t look confident. With a bit of luck, however, she can block Salma Paralluelo and get penalized for a foul.
17
09:48
Athenea del Castillo is sent off to the right from a throw-in, but Jenni Hermoso doesn’t find her cross. The same game then occurs with the next attack from the left. Somehow the Costa Ricans still get a toe in between.
15
09:46
The standards of the Iberians are extremely dangerous, Costa Rica don’t really know how to defend that yet. But it’s still 0-0, a quarter of an hour is done.
14
09:44
Jenni Hermoso just has to shoot, then it’s 1-0. She is found at the penalty spot from the right, but does not take the flat ball directly, but instead dribbles. So then no conclusion jumps out. She had a perfectly clear shot.
13.
09:43
Slowly but surely Spain is getting closer, the chances for the lead are there. Costa Rica makes slight mistakes in the build-up game and doesn’t look solid at the back.
11.
09:42
Solera clarifies! A corner from the left at the second post is headed in the middle, where Ivana Andrés can climb up very unchallenged. But then her header is a bit too central, so the keeper can steer it over the crossbar.
9.
09:40
Almost over! The Spaniards combine from the right, Athenea del Castillo lays flat in the middle of the front corner of the five-yard box. There, Esther González cleverly tries with the hoe, but the play equipment goes past delicately to the left. Solera can only look behind.
7.
09:38
There is the first degree. Salma Paralluelo is sent to the baseline on the left and returns to the penalty spot. There Aitana Bonmatí comes a little unconventionally with a half-leg to the shot, but this clearly goes past the left.
6.
09:37
Now Costa Rica in front, chinchilla is sent on the journey with a long change of sides on the left. Against two opponents she gets stuck in dribbling.
5.
09:35
By the way, the weather is very uncomfortably cold, and it has even started to rain. As a result, the stadium is not really full.
4.
09:34
In order to break through the bulwark, the Spaniards play many short passes, but then quickly switch to a high ball into the penalty area. Salma Paralluelo cannot control one in the sixteen.
3.
09:33
As expected, Costa Rica is extremely deep and only attacks the ball-carrying player after the center line. In Spain, everyone except goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez is already in the opposition half.
1.
09:30
The anthems are played, the ball is rolling. Spain kicked off.
1.
09:30
game start
09:23
At this moment, the teams step onto the pitch together with referee Casey Reibelt from Australia. The game can start in a few minutes.
09:14
Of course, that doesn’t have to mean anything for today’s game. Because, and this should warn the Spaniards, there has already been a clash between the two associations in women’s football. In the preliminary round of the 2015 World Cup, the game surprisingly ended 1-1, in the end both had to travel home early. So we can look forward to an exciting game.
09:14
Costa Rica are the big underdogs, the most famous player should probably be Melissa Herrera. The forward is currently under contract with Girondins Bordeaux in France. In addition, the Central Americans come mainly through defensive unity, they will try to keep zero for a long time and possibly become dangerous with counterattacks. That didn’t work out so well recently, however, in various friendlies there were sometimes bitter defeats.
09:00
With Alexia Putellas, the Spaniards have the outstanding world player in their ranks, although today she has to sit on the bench first. The cruciate ligament rupture is over, but the fitness, as mentioned, does not seem to be up to scratch. That’s not the only reason why they’re the big favorite in today’s game. Three players, Bonmati, Caldentey and Batlle, have changed their position and are no longer part of the so-called ‘rebellion’ against the federation, which saw 15 players ask not to be nominated in September 2022. So you’re in, although important pillars like Leon, Guijarro and Panos, for example, could still not be nominated.
08:52
Finally this long-awaited World Cup started yesterday, Thursday, with the two co-host countries each winning 1-0. Two more games took place this morning, or actually during the night, so Spain versus Costa Rica is the “late” game, even though the playing times in Central Europe take a bit of getting used to. But that shouldn’t harm the euphoria, because with the Rojitas there is also a favorite, at least a secret favorite, for the title on the lawn.
08:46
To start, let’s take a look at the lineups. Coach Jorge Vilda tried a lot in the last friendlies for the Spaniards, which is why a completely different team is on the pitch today. Star player Putellas did not make it into the starting eleven, her fitness level is probably not up to scratch after the long injury break. Costa Rica coach Amelia Valverde opts for a 3-4-3 formation, but it will be much more defensive than Spain’s 4-2-3-1. The wingers Elizondo and Coto extend the back chain to a row of five.
08:24
Welcome to Day 1 of the Women’s World Cup in Group C between Spain and Costa Rica. Kick-off at Wellington’s Sky Stadium is at 9:30am!