In a dramatic final, Spain edged beat England 1-0 thanks to a goal by Olga Carmona in the first half of Women’s World Cup, giving Spain its first Women’s World Cup title less than a year after a player up With this victory, Spain won its first major international trophy and achieved a key milestone by being the first European team since Germany in 2007 to win the Women’s World Cup. After the final whistle, Spanish players enthusiastically piled on top of one another in front of their goal. In the 29th minute, Carmona’s left-footed drive slipped past England goalkeeper Mary Earps’ diving attempt and settled into the far corner of the net.
The word “Merchi” was scrawled in pen on Carmona’s undershirt, a sweet gesture to her former school, as she raised her jersey in a moment of joy. Carmona’s exploits weren’t limited to the final; in the 89th minute of Spain’s 2-1 semifinal victory over Sweden, she also scored the decisive game-winning goal, making her the only player since Carli Lloyd in 2015 to score in both a Women’s World Cup semifinal and final.
Women’s world cup 2023: A great journey of spain
Jenni Hermoso’s penalty attempt in the 68th minute presented Spain with a chance to increase their lead, but Earps made a critical save by diving to her left and showing exceptional anticipation. Surprisingly, Spain’s success followed a player near-mutiny the year before. In 15 players’ announcements, they stated that they were leaving the national team due to mental health issues and the need for a more professional setting. Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmat, and Mariona Caldentey, three of those players, made amends with the federation and took part in the Women’s World Cup.
On the other side, England came into the competition with momentum after taking home the title at the previous summer’s European Championship. Leah Williamson, Fran Kirby, and Beth Mead, among other important players who sustained injuries, were unable to join the World Cup roster.
Sarina Wiegman, the head coach of England, created history by being the first coach to guide a team to back-to-back Women’s World Cup finals. She had previously led the Netherlands to the final in 2019, where they lost to the Americans 2-0. Unfortunately for Wiegman, this was her second consecutive Women’s World Cup runner-up finish as she was unable to win the title for England.
An intruder stormed onto the field in the 25th minute, briefly interrupting play, but security staff quickly arrested him. The 16th minute saw one of England’s greatest opportunities when Lauren Hemp’s powerful shot hit the crossbar. Salma Paralluelo made a determined run toward the goal a minute later, but she was unable to score, and Alba Redondo’s follow-up attempt was saved by Earps.
The 19-year-old Paralluelo, who had previously scored significant goals for Spain in the competition, was given the start by coach Jorge Vilda, displaying his faith in the abilities of young players. Just before halftime, Paralluelo came near to scoring, but her shot hit the post instead. In the 78th minute, she fouled Alex Greenwood, who had a gash above her eye, earning her a yellow card.
Hemp had another opportunity in the 54th minute, but she was unable to score. A minute later, for a foul on Laia Codina, she was given a yellow card. In the 68th minute, a video review revealed a handball by Keira Walsh, handing Spain a penalty and a great chance to extend their lead. However, Earps once more saved England’s bacon by producing a number of significant stops that kept her team in the game.
The management of two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas’ return was difficult for coach Jorge Vilda because she had been recovering from an ACL tear suffered the year before. With only 15 seconds remaining in regulation, Putellas, who had earlier began the game on the bench, suddenly entered the fray. 13 minutes of unexpected stoppage time increased the drama of the dying seconds.
Billie Jean King, a tennis great, was among the large throng of 75,784 spectators who attended the grand finale at Stadium Australia. It was a sensational triumph for Spain that changed the course of women’s soccer history and raised the bar for European teams competing internationally.
