SYDNEY, Aug 20: Spain won its first Women’s World Cup title less than a year after a player rebellion, holding off England 1-0 on Sunday after Olga Carmona’s first-half goal.
The victory made La Roja the first team to hold the under-17, under-20 and senior world titles at the same time. Spain is the fifth winner in nine editions of the Women’s World Cup and joins Germany as the only two nations to win both the men’s and women’s titles.
The Lionesses were trying to bring a World Cup back to England for the first time since the men won it in 1966. The wait will go on.
In an open game featuring multiple chances for both teams, Carmona’s left-foot strike in the 29th minute finishing off a fast-breaking counterattack after Lucy Bronze lost possession — remained the only goal.
Carmona also scored the game-winner in the 89th minute of Spain’s 2-1 semifinal victory over Sweden, becoming the first player since Carli Lloyd in 2015 to score in a World Cup semifinal and final.
Spain had a chance to double the lead in the 68th after a VAR review awarded a penalty for Keira Walsh’s handball, but Jenni Hermoso’s penalty attempt was saved by Mary Earps, who anticipated perfectly and dived to her left.
England coach Sarina Wiegman said she thought that would be the momentum shifter for her team.
Spain’s victory comes despite a near-mutiny by players last year. Fifteen players said they were stepping away from the national team for their mental health while also calling for a more professional environment. Three of those players — Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey — reconciled with the federation and were at the World Cup.
England had momentum going into the tournament after winning the European Championship at home last summer, including a quarterfinal win over Spain. But three of the team’s best players, captain Leah Williamson, Fran Kirby and Beth Mead, all had knee injuries that kept them off the World Cup squad.
Wiegman was the first coach to take her teams to back-to-back World Cup title matches. She led the Netherlands to the final in 2019, but fell 2-0 to the United States. She’s now 0-2 in the championship match.
England was coming off a 3-1 victory over host Australia in the semifinal. While James was available for the final, Wiegman started Ella Toone and used the Chelsea winger as a second-half substitute in a double change to spark the attack.
Coach Jorge Vilda started 19-year-old Paralluelo, who scored the breakthrough goal for Spain against Sweden, and the game-winner in extra time over the Netherlands in the quarterfinal. Paralluelo nearly scored seconds from half time but her shot hit the post.
After the match Putellas was in tears as her teammates danced in front of the flag-waving fans behind the team’s bench.
At the final whistle the Spanish players piled on each other in front of their goal.
They were still dancing on the field until the trophy presentations, where they kissed the trophy and raised their arms in triumph as golden glitter fell from above.
Wiegman proud of team
England coach Sarina Wiegman said her team could be “very proud” of themselves having reached their first Women’s World Cup final, despite falling to a 1-0 defeat by Spain on Sunday.
Olga Carmona’s first-half strike was enough to clinch a maiden world title for the Spanish in just their third World Cup appearance.
European champions England went into the tournament missing key players through injury and struggled to convince at times, but found a way to overcome every challenge to reach the showpiece match for the first time.
Wiegman said it would take time for the players to realise the scale of their achievement.
“Of course, everyone was very disappointed that we didn’t win the game. On the other hand, I think we can we can be very proud of ourselves, although that doesn’t feel that way at this moment,” the 53-year-old told a press conference.
“That takes a little time, because now the disappointment is the most of what you feel. But everything we’ve done, how we have grown into the tournament, the challenges we had before the tournament, during the tournament, how we have adapted to situations.”
It is the second World Cup final defeat for Wiegman.
She took her native Netherlands to the title match in 2019 where they lost 2-0 to the United States. (AP)
