Reaction of champions. Spectacular comeback. A little hand of many carats. A final exhibition to end a dream year. A waste of ambition to shine the star on the chest. Sweden will end up wishing not to cross paths with Spain, who eliminated them in the World Cup semi-finals in the 89th minute and who yesterday scored four goals against them when it seemed that the Scandinavians had the duel under control at 1-3. The red one has completely taken the measure.
The game couldn’t have started worse. The absurdity of the second half against Italy continued at the start of the match against Sweden. The departure was once again catastrophic. If in Pontevedra, after the break, the Italians scored in the first minute and scored three goals, history repeated itself in Malaga. The world champions conceded a goal again before 60 seconds had passed and after half an hour Misa Rodríguez, who replaced Cata Coll, had already collected the ball from her goal three times.
The difference is that this time there was time to fix the mess. Spain reconnected. Salma Paralluelo (11) established the momentary 1-1 and, already in the resumption, Athenea del Castillo (51), Mariona Caldentey (78), Fiamma Benítez (81) and again Caldentey (89) completed a comeback that delighted from the public of La Rosaleda.
Among the eleven chosen – this time there were no delays – by Montse Tomé to start the Nations League clash, inconsequential because Spain was already first in the group, Aitana Bonmatí was not there, with whom the coach had a heated discussion in the locker room from the Pasarón stadium last Friday. The Ballon d’Or hit the field on the hour and with it on the pitch, Spain unleashed an offensive gale that could have even made the score larger. Bonmatí herself sent a volley shot in the air to the post.
The rival of the semifinal of the final four of the Nations League, whose draw is held on Monday, already knows that the world champions have plenty of morale.
