Spain suffered its first defeat in the Nations Cup against the Australian team (3-2), host of the competition, who settled the game with three goals in the first half at the Gosford stadium in Sydney, where Olga Carmona and Alba Redondo They adjusted the score in the final stretch.
Without the best soccer players in the country, still absent from the team due to their confrontation with the national team, Jorge Vilda’s team did not know how to stop the twelfth team in the FIFA ranking. A team they faced last June, in the friendly round of preparation for the Eurocup, when Spain thrashed Australia 7-0 at the Nuevo Colombino.
This time, in Jenni Hermoso’s return to Vilda’s starting eleven, Australia showed their strength from the first minutes and only took 11 minutes to get ahead, with a combination between Raso and Vine that Misa could not stop.
The Real Madrid goalkeeper could not prevent a shot from Polkinghorne, after picking up a rebound in the area five minutes later, from making it 2-0 for the Australians, who went into half-time with a bit more advantage after a header from Foord direct to the network (m.41).
Spain improved in the second half and had several chances to close the gap, although they were unable to do so until minute 73, when Real Madrid player Olga Carmona took advantage of a rebound and then, almost at the conclusion, through Alba Redondo (m.94).
After the victory three days ago over Jamaica (3-0) and today’s defeat, the team coached by Jorge Vilda will face their third and last game in this tournament to prepare for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year next Wednesday against the Czech Republic.
“We have used a new system, we think that in the future it can give us a lot, but mainly it has made it clear that we have to improve defensively, that there are aspects of solidity and forcefulness in both areas that we have to refine and continue working and try to put an end to. the best sensations”, affirmed Vilda, in statements to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The coach said that so far, after the victory over Jamaica (3-0) in the first game of this competition and today’s defeat, “the objectives are being met” to prepare well for the World Cup next summer in Australia and New Zealand.
Real Madrid international Olga Carmona, scorer of the first of Spain’s two goals against Australia, was “very happy” to have scored, but said she had “a bit of a negative feeling for not having won.”
“You learn from all the games and from this one too. We leave with a bitter feeling because we wanted to win here, but we couldn’t. We must keep the positive and above all with the team’s reaction to the second half. We are going to correct, to learn and we are left with the positive that there have also been many things”, he added.
Spain formed with Misa, Oihane (Sheila, m.46), Rocío, Ivana (Marta Cardona, m.77), Laia, Irene Guerrero, Esther (Salma, m.77), Jenni, Alba, Olga Carmona and Marta Carro ( Fiamma, m.46).
