It was the 68th minute, Peter Gerhardsson had sat down again. Sweden’s coach is not a hectic agitator, most of the time he prepares his team to be prepared for all eventualities anyway, so he can afford his coaching style while sitting. The motto: Sweden will sort it out, somehow – like against the USA in the round of 16 and against Japan in the quarterfinals, the two opponents you had to beat to be declared the tournament favorite. This time, however, the Swedes couldn’t find a solution, even when Gerhardsson got up for the final minutes to intervene, sometimes frantically.
Spain won 2-1 against Sweden in the first semi-final of the World Cup, in the last game of this World Cup in New Zealand, in Auckland’s Eden Park, which was once again almost sold out, and will now play for the world championship title on Sunday.
Spain starts with Putellas – and takes control of the game early on
Gerhardsson doesn’t believe in old wisdom just as he doesn’t believe in standing in the so-called coaching zone, he much prefers to play with them. “Always change a winning team”, a successful team must always be changed, is one of his guiding principles, which is in contrast to the old football adage, just don’t change anything. It came as a surprise that, ahead of the first World Cup semi-final, a look at the starting line-ups revealed that Gerhardsson had stayed with the same team that had beaten USA and Japan. Meanwhile, his opposite number Jorge Vilda – a constant agitator who is very reluctant to sit – made prominent changes: Alexia Putellas returned to the starting XI after two absences in the round of 16 and quarterfinals.
It took ten minutes for Spain to conquer the element on the field that they urgently need for their style of play: the ball. Sweden only balanced the game in the early stages, then Vilda’s team took control, not only in midfield, but also on the offensive. Alba Redondo had the first chance of the game with a close-range header, followed by a long-range shot from full-back Olga Carmona that flew just wide of the post in the 14th minute.
Just before the break, the Swedes missed good chances of taking the lead
Spain had more control, but above all Teresa Abelleira in midfield stopped the few attempts at Swedish counterattacks on the six, the game sometimes completely shifted to the half of the Swedes who had few ideas – until they came to that element, which they did at least as well distinguishes like Spain the possession of the ball. A cross from the right – the first targeted pass into the Spanish penalty area – was taken directly from Fridolina Rolfö in the 42nd minute, goalkeeper Cata Coll just saved. Sweden have proven often enough at this World Cup that a small, inconspicuous, sometimes random action can be enough to get the ball rolling. Now the time had come: Swedish crosses and corners flew into Spain’s penalty area for three minutes, and the half-time whistle was almost a relief for the team that had actually ruled the game.
The Swedes even managed to take this momentum not only into the dressing room, but also back onto the field. In the rain that set in, a more open game developed in the second half, with less control but more switching moments: Johanna Rytting Kanerud had two opportunities to play sharp crosses into the middle on the Swedish side. On the other hand, Vilda also realized that he had to change something in the statics – and brought the player of the quarterfinals into play against the Netherlands.
In the 56th minute Salma Paralluelo came on for the again very unlucky Putellas, she should bring more verticality into play in the center of the attack, an element Spain lacked in the second half. And the former track and field athlete did just that: First she created the best opportunity for Alba Redondo in the 70th minute, and in the 81st minute she scored to make it 1-0. After a pass from Eva Navarro, she got the ball from close range and fired into the bottom right corner, as she did against the Netherlands.
Spain gave up the lead – and ended up making it to the final with a long-range shot
Sweden looked defeated, but Gerhardsson’s team came back – as usual from the air. Substitute Lina Hurtig scored a high cross from the left, and Rebecka Blomqvist converted it from close range to make it 1-1, which was in a way appropriate to the course of the game, but was not yet the end.
After a corner that was actually well defended, Olga Carmona, who shortly before had contributed to the Swedish equalizer with her positional error on the defensive, got the ball. But now her long-range shot flew to the crossbar, from there it just hit the line and ended up in the net. A goal out of nowhere decided this game, but – unlike usual at this World Cup – it didn’t come for Sweden, but against it. Spain are making their debut in a World Cup final, playing tomorrow’s semi-final winners Australia against England in Sydney’s final on Sunday.