Spain qualified for the quarter-finals, and in doing so, eliminated Belgium from the competition. Despite conceding 6 goals, Belgium put up a spirited performance in defeat, and regularly threatened the world champions, which is something very few teams have achieved.
After 20 minutes of the match, Spain had complete domination of the ball, and had recorded just a single misplaced pass between the entire team. This unrelenting pressure finally told in the 22nd minute, as Caldentey and Guijarro exchanged passes on the edge of the box, before a 1st-time clipped pass from the tightly-marked Lopez, into the path of Putellas, allowed the Barcelona dynamo space to shoot into the bottom corner from 10 yards. It was nothing less than Spain deserved, but Belgium then completely caught them out just 1 minute later, as Vanhaevermaet headed home a Wullaert corner from 5 yards; a corner that was won directly from kick-off.
Spain Probe
After conceding, the world champions continued as they had before, constantly looking for gaps in the Belgium defence, playing the rest of the half in the final third. Despite all of the intricate passing and clever play, it was a set-piece that led to Spain re-taking the lead, as Paredes rose highest at the back post to thunder in a Pina corner from 8 yards. They almost added a 3rd just before the break, but a superb goal-line clearance from Janssens kept the deficit at a single goal at half-time.
Belgium Bite
At the start of the 2nd-half, Belgium seemed renewed, snapping into tackles, and energetically closing down Spain’s midfield as they crossed halfway. This aggression was rewarded just 5 minutes after the break, when Belgium won the ball in their half, before quickly playing forward to Wullaer. Her first touch gave her space in midfield, and her 2nd was a perfectly weighted 30-yard through ball for Eurlings to run onto. Under pressure from a covering defender, she carried the ball into the penalty area, before poking a finish in off the right-hand post, cueing wild celebrations.
If you thought conceding a second equaliser would shake the Spanish, you’d be wrong; Belgium just made them angry. Only 90 seconds after VAR cleared Eurlings’ goal, Spain had retaken the lead, as Putellas shimmied away from her marker, carried the ball into the Belgium half, before threading an inch-perfect pass into the path of Esther Gonzalez, who took a touch and buried her finish into the bottom corner. After that, it got a bit ugly: Caldentey scored the 4th after 61 minutes, after Belgium failed to clear a corner, with the ball falling to the Arsenal forward 8 yards out; after 81 minutes, Claudia Pina curled a beautiful effort into the top corner from 20 yards out; 5 minutes later, Putellas scored her 2nd from a close-range effort, after another corner wasn’t cleared. Belgium thought they’d scored a third just before full-time, after Wullaert scored following a rebound off the post, but VAR ruled it out for offside, to really rub salt int he would. Despite the determined performance, Belgium have been eliminated after just 2 matches, though having played the 2 hardest teams in Group B. Spain have qualified for the quarter-final, though they’ll have to get a point in their final match vs Italy to win the group.
Portugal 1 – 1 Italy Diana Gomes (89’) Girella (70’)
Portugal escaped elimination from the competition with a late equaliser, despite an even-later red card. Italy missed the chance to reach the knockouts with a game to spare, and will have to get a result against Spain to guarantee progress from Group B. Italian Craft
It wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that Portugal did absolutely nothing in the 1st-half, or rather, they weren’t allowed to do anything. Italy seemed content to allow Portugal to have the ball until the final third, where their lack of creativity was laid bare, allowing Italy to snap into tackles, and break into space. Though they couldn’t find the opening goal, Italy did come close a couple of times: the first coming after Patricia Morais, who was excellent throughout, saved a close-range header following a free-kick, but the follow-up was ruled out for offside; the second came with seconds left of the half, when Cantore switched play to the left, and Girelli fired a shot at goal from 12 yards, but Morais produced another save.
The Calm
Despite Italy looking dangerous, and Belgium being held at arms-length, it wasn’t obvious where the opening goal was coming from, and the game looked like it needed a bit of magic to spark it into life. That magic arrived after 70 minutes in the form of Serie A Femminile top-scorer Cristiana Girelli, who received the ball on the left-corner of the penalty area. Waiting for the overlapping run to her left, she then took a touch to her right, before bending an incredible strike into the far-top corner, sparking wild celebrations. Italy were 20 minutes away from the quarter-finals, and in complete control.
The Storm Portugal Italy Possession 56.7% 43.3% Shots 5 14 Shots on target 1 6 Expected Goals 0.31 1.27
Out of nowhere, the game sparked into life. The Portuguese attackers were running at their markers (and beating them), the Italians countered down the flanks; suddenly, the game was slightly chaotic. Portugal thought they’d found the equaliser in the 84th minute, after Diana Silva headed against the post following a free-kick, before putting the rebound in the net, but replays showed she was marginally offside in the build-up, and VAR disallowed the goal. At that point, head coach Francisco Neto made his final 2 substitutions, which involved taking off Diana Silva (much to the bemusement of fans).
His gamble paid off just 4 minutes later, after Dolores Silva played a low cross in from the left wing, and substitute Diana Gomes lifted her finish from 10yards over the stranded goalkeeper. Whether the finish was intended or not was irrelevant, as Portugal were celebrating wildly. There was still time for Ana Borges to pick up a 2nd yellow card, after she tripped Bonansea, but Portugal held on for a precious point.
If Italy manage to beat Spain, they’ll go through as group winners. If they draw, they’ll go through as runners-up. If they lose, that opens the door for Portugal to potentially qualify as runners-up, who’ll need to beat Belgium and have a 6 goal swing in their favour.
