Challenging its own history, the Spanish team has been adding victories that have put it in a position to fight for a place in the semifinals of a World Cup. To do this, they will have to beat the Netherlands in a match that will catch many fans of both teams in bed. The collapse of the United States and the unexpected second place of Spain has meant that the game is played at three in the morning, Spanish time (La1). “Don’t lie down. Thursdays are the Fridays before”, said Jorge Vilda in the preview.
Those who defeat the dream will have the chance to be luxury spectators of one of the most attractive duels of the entire World Cup, the one that will star in midfield Aitana Bonmatí and Jill Roord. The European champion with Barça, against the runner-up with Wolfsburg. If the blaugrana has three goals and two assists so far in the tournament, the Dutch, with four goals, is one away from the Golden Boot, the Japanese Miyazawa. Her age, her figures… all the records resemble these two footballers who this morning are not only playing the pass to the semifinals. Their fight could determine who wins the next Ballon d’Or.
Stay up late or get up early. This will be the dilemma for the fans of both teams. For the coach, the doubts will be in the eleven. Will you bet on Cata Coll again to the detriment of Misa Rodríguez in goal? Ivana Andrés or Laia Codina in defense? Olga Carmona or Oihane Hernández to accompany Ona on the side? … many unknowns to be revealed. And even more so after the surprises with the starting lineup that he presented against Switzerland in the quarterfinals. The plan went well for the Madrid coach, who could repeat an eleven for the first time. To date, only six footballers have started in all matches: Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmatí, Tere Abelleira, Jenni Hermoso and Salma Paralluelo.
“I have 23 Ballon d’Ors”, Jorge Vilda has said on more than one occasion who yesterday used this resource again to avoid giving explanations about who should wear the Spanish bracelet: “I have 23 female captains”, he insisted. The coach referred to the “special energy” that he perceives in the environment: “I really like what I see in the eyes of my players.”
In terms of football, he is aware that they will have to learn from the mistakes made against Japan if they want to have a chance of going to the semifinals: “It is a system similar to that of Japan in defense. We had to change some nuances, we know that we have the resources to attack everything and we go with that calm and security”, said Jorge Vilda who predicts “a very even match” that can be decided in “the first 15 minutes”.
“We are not afraid of Spain at all, we can win,” said Andries Jonkers. Since he took the reins of the Netherlands national team, the ‘oranje’ have taken a step forward. They are a very strong team and they know what to do when they have the ball. “This is a match between two similar teams, of very similar levels. A year ago we were behind, but I think that with the last games we played we have shown that we have closed this gap”, predicted the coach who was trained as Louis van Gaal’s assistant coach at FC Barcelona and Bayern.
The current World runner-up is the most important rival that the Spanish have faced so far. Jonkers will propose a defense with three center backs similar to the one that made things so difficult for the red in the group stage and has a winger like the young Esme Brugts who is making merits to become one of the footballers with the most projection on the scene world. The experienced coach has also been able to recover the best version of Lieke Martens, after a disappointing year at PSG. Without Miedema, absent from the tournament with a cruciate injury, the goals have come from Jill Roord, who has already become the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer. Her transfer to City has made her the most expensive signing in the history of women’s football, exceeding the 400,000 euros that Barcelona paid for Keira Walsh.
Another of the names of the party will be that of Damaris Egurrola. The soccer player with a Basque father and a Dutch mother decided to defend the Oranje shirt last summer after her disagreements with Jorge Vilda. She became the European under-19 champion with Spain, coinciding with Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Ona Batlle or Misa, but Vilda cut her off from reaching the absolute ranks and looked for another way out. Born in Orlando (United States), she had to choose between playing for the country of her birth or for her mother’s. The Euro Cup in England was her first tournament with the Dutch team and this morning she will face Spain for the first time. Daniëlle van de Donk’s loss due to accumulation of cards will make Egurrola the starter, something he is looking forward to: “Few people are more motivated than me,” he confessed to Relevo in the preview. Who did not want to talk about her was Jorge Vilda, who said that he would only talk about “selectable players”. “I would not change any of my footballers,” she said.
Damaris Egurrola or Lieke Martens are not the only ‘spies’ that the Netherlands has. Stefanie van der Gragt (formerly at Barça) and Merel van Dongen (at Atletíco) also know the players of ‘la roja’ well. “We have four players who play or have played in Spain and of course we have spoken with them. We know everything about Spain, I don’t think they are going to surprise us”, predicted Andries Jonkers.
