If the duel against Costa Rica was to serve to clear up doubts, the Spanish team did it with a stroke of the pen. 3-0 in a match of absolute dominance in which they subdued a rival unable to contain the attacks of Spain. It took him 20 minutes to find the key, but once he did, the goals came cascading. Valeria del Campo, an own goal, Aitana Bonmatí and Esther González signed the goals for the biggest win so far in the World Cup. No other team has achieved a bigger score than this 3-0.
At seven in the evening, local time (9:30 in Spain), under a blanket of water and cold weather typical of the New Zealand winter, Spain added the first three points in Wellington. Zambia (July 26) and Japan (July 31) will be the next rivals for ‘la roja’, which in its World Cup debut had some 23,000 spectators, including the president of the Spanish Federation, Luis Rubiales.
It was difficult for Spain to find spaces in the face of the iron defensive approach of Costa Rica, crouched in the rival area from the initial whistle. The excess of offensive profiles in Jorge Vilda’s eleven did not make things easier either. The Spanish coach brought in all his artillery, with Esther as a leading reference, accompanied on the wings by Athenea del Castillo and Salma Paralluelo, and with Jenni Hermoso acting as false ‘9’. Too many people in a crowded Spanish area, which at many times led them to even annoy each other in offensive actions.
There were twenty minutes of tactical disorder in Spain, although this did not prevent ‘la roja’ from being superior and cornering the ‘tico’ team at all times until the first goal would arrive in minute 21. An own goal from Costa Rica that perfectly exemplified this excess of people in Daniela Solera’s area. Esther sent a cross into the small area that the ‘tico’ goalkeeper did not reach, with the misfortune that Valeria del Campo, who entered from behind, could not stop herself and ended up inserting the ball into her goal.
From this goal everything went smoothly for Spain, which in six minutes put the game back on track with goals from Aitana Bonmatí and Esther González. The blaugrana, one of the most outstanding of the game, defined with great quality a play that Athenea had started on the left wing. In the 27th minute, Jenni Hermoso hit the crossbar, but Esther caught the rebound and did not miss the opportunity to make it 3-0. Spain could have gone into the break with a bigger booty, but the ‘tico’ goalkeeper saved Hermoso a rigorous penalty, after the referee interpreted that Fabiola Villalobos had brought down Olga Carmona in the area.
Costa Rica’s plan to lock themselves in and go against it did not work, and as the minutes progressed and their forces faltered, the more difficult it was for them to generate any danger. Despite the monologue of ‘la roja’ in terms of possession, he gave the feeling of having dropped four gears, giving up the opportunity to sign a bigger win. Jorge Vilda’s changes did not quite work either to give more attacking ideas to a team that despite continuing to try, seemed to lose its hunger over time.
The most emotional moment of the second half would come in minute 77, with the entry of Alexia Putellas. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner, absent from last Eurocup due to a cruciate ligament injury, finally reappeared in an official match with the Spanish team. The blaugrana was very participatory and even had some timid occasion to increase the score. The fans present at the Wellington stadium vibrated with her from minute 60 on when she jumped in to warm up, eager to see the best soccer player in the world in action.
There were no more goals, but I don’t need them either against a surrendered Costa Rica. The first three points of the World Cup in his pocket and with his eyes already set on Zambia, Spain’s next rival on the second day of the group stage. It will be on Wednesday 26, at 9:30 a.m. (La2).
3 – Spain: Misa Rodríguez; Ona Battle (m.88, Oihane Hernández), Irene Paredes, Ivana Andrés, Olga Carmona; Teresa Abelleira (m.76, Claudia Zornoza), Aitana Bonmatí, Jennifer Hermoso; Athenea del Castillo (m.62, Mariona Caldentey), Salma Paralluelo (m.76, Alexia Putellas), Esther González (m.62, Alba Redondo).
Coach: Jorge Vilda.
0 – Costa Rica: Daniela Solera; Maria Paula Coto, Mariana Benavides, Valeria Del Campo; Melissa Herrera, Maria Paula Salas (m.73, Sheika Scott), Gloriana Villalobos, Maria Paula Elizondo (m.58, Cristin Granados); Priscila Chinchilla, Katherine Alvarado, Fabiola Villalobos (m.73, Pinell).
Coach: Amelia Valverde.
Goals: 1-0, m.21: Valeria del Campo, own goal. 2-0, m.23: Aitana Bonmatí. 3-0 m.27: Esther González.
Referee: Casey Reibelt (AUS).
Incidents: Match for the first day of group C of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, played at the Wellington Regional Stadium before 22,966 spectators.
