2023-08-14 10:35:54
Spain and Sweden are fighting for the first final ticket at the Women’s World Cup in Auckland on Tuesday (10:00 a.m. CEST/live ORF 1). While the Spaniards, who have been so strong so far, are tackling their semi-final premiere on the biggest possible football stage, the Scandinavians are aiming for the second final following 2003 in their fifth attempt. The winners of the duel meet co-hosts Australia or England, who face each other on Wednesday, in the showdown for the title.
Before the start of the World Cup, the Swedish team coached by Peter Gerhardsson was not necessarily one of the hottest contenders for the trophy. In the course of the tournament, however, they offered convincing performances and eliminated two top nations with record champions USA and Japan in the knockout phase.
Another tough challenge awaits with the Spaniards. “We know they have some very good individual players but they are also very, very strong as a team,” said Sweden defender Natalie Björn. The experience from the successfully completed round of 16 and quarter-finals should be an advantage, says Björn. “I think it’s good that we played Japan and USA before this game because I feel like Spain are a bit of a mix of the two too.”
Team boss Gerhardsson, who has been in office since 2017, definitely wants to make it into the final following losing the semi-finals at the 2019 World Cup and the European Championship last year. “It’s a completely new semi-final, with new emotions and a good feeling. It feels like a wonderful new experience,” said Gerhardsson when asked regarding the recent semi-finals. Although the Swedes have always been at the forefront, they only managed to win one title: in 1984 they won the European Championship, which was held for the first time. They lost to Germany in the World Cup final 20 years ago.
The Spaniards dismantled Switzerland 5-1 in the round of 16, following which coach Jorge Vilda’s selection prevailed once morest vice-world champions Netherlands following a hard-fought 120 minutes. Before the duel with Sweden, the Iberians want nothing more to do with the uprising once morest Vilda last year. “I see the team motivated like never before and full of self-confidence. I don’t want to remember everything that happened in the past. I just want to enjoy this sport, inspire our country with this team,” said striker Jennifer Hermoso.
Last September following the European Championships in England, 15 players announced their temporary retirement from the Spanish team. They explained that the current situation under Vilda and his support staff is “significantly” affecting their “emotional state” and “health”. The federation presented itself to Vilda, some of the players have meanwhile returned to the national team.
Hermoso was not among the insurgents at the time, but had expressed their solidarity on social media. Spain captain Ivana Andrés has already stressed that the players “have a very good relationship with our coach”.
World footballer Alexia Putellas is now increasingly in the spotlight once more. After recovering from a cruciate ligament rupture, she has played 155 minutes of the World Cup, but has not yet played a full match. “We are all very happy with the level Alexia has reached,” said Vilda. “It’s true that she’s been in a nine or ten month recovery process. Alexia is ready for anything.”
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