Spain secures first ever Women’s World Cup Final beating Sweden 2 to 1

Spain has been the most consistent team in the 2023 Women’s World Cup with winning 5 of their 6 games including the group stage and the quarterfinals and today’s semifinal game. The nucleus of the Spanish national team consists of the 2022-2023 UEFA Women’s Champions League champions, FC Barcelona. Tuesday’s matchup featured the women’s Swedish National Team that eliminated the USWNT last Sunday by defeating the Americans in penalties. Both teams were favored to win their groups, and many experts could see a possibility of Spain vs. Sweden coming down to a World Cup Semifinal.

The entire game was played at a high intensity level with great skill and speed. Both teams showed extremely disciplined play throughout the first and early in the second half. Coming into the 81st minute of the game, both teams had their scoring opportunities, but the score remained 0 to 0. It wasn’t until the 81st minute when 19-year-old Salma Paralluelo broke through and scored the first goal of the game and helped Spain take a 1-0 lead. Paralluelo plays for club FC Barcelona and was earlier substituted for FC Barcelona star forward, Alexia Putellas. Spanish Head Coach, Jorge Vilda, took a risk by substituting Putellas for Paralluelo but it paid dividends and then some. Sweden is a very strong team and mentally they have not seemed phased by playing from behind.

Swedish forward, Rebecka Blomqvist, equalized the score with a great strike in the 88th minute. Spain looked surprised that Sweden scored minutes after the first goal of the match. With the announcers and the patrons thinking the match was heading to extra time, Real Madrid defender Olga Carmona had different plans in mind for the closing of the game. Her thrilling strike blasted the back of the net and secured a 2 to 1 victory for Spain and clinched Spain’s first ever appearance in a Women’s World Cup Final. Spain awaits the winner for Australia vs. England in the second semifinal and will play in the finals on Sunday.