Spain plays its first 'final'

Spain plays its first 'final'

The women's team must win or draw against Denmark to go to the quarterfinals of the European Championship in England

MADRID, 15 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish women's soccer team will face this Saturday (9:00 p.m./La1) at the Brentford Community Stadium in London their last match of the group stage of the European Championship in England with the obligation to win or, at least, draw against a Denmark that everything is at stake to qualify for the quarterfinals.

The first goal that the national team had set for itself is close, but it involves not making mistakes against the current continental runner-up, who in her case has no room for speculation because it is only worth winning, while her rival can choose to risk and play with the tie trick. Spain have never won two games at a major international tournament and will be hoping to break that barrier to bolster their morale ahead of a highly demanding quarter-final against hosts England.

The two teams arrive at this decisive clash tied on three points, but the goal-average favors Jorge Vilda's team, who has had time to recover from last Tuesday's heavy defeat against Germany to face this first final in a European Championship that is being more complicated than expected due to errors.

Spain have been faithful to their style and have known how to dominate their first two games, but in both they made mistakes that they must avoid against the Danes. The goal before the minute of the game against Finland did not end up penalizing her and she knew how to recover, but the early conceding against the eight-time European champion did and it hindered her in her attempt to finally defeat her.

The 'Red' could have seemed superior in their second match, but failed in both areas and left empty-handed to leave their unbeaten streak in 24 games. Starting a new and more important one is now about maintaining one hundred percent concentration in a duel where it remains to be seen what the attitude of Lars Soendergaard's team will be and if he goes for the victory from the beginning or chooses to be more cautious and leave the initiative to the Spanish to try to surprise them in transitions.

"I have not put myself in the scenario of not winning tomorrow, I have put myself in the scenario of going to the quarterfinals. I do not think beyond tomorrow's game. All that would be energy that remains for the objective. We have to put all the meat on the grill for the final that we play tomorrow", declared the Spanish coach at a press conference.

Vilda will have to once again decide the eleven players she is betting on at the start and with doubts in the same positions as in the previous two games. Laia Aleixandri is 'touched' muscularly -although she trained on Friday with her teammates- in order to repeat in the midfield and put Patri Guijarro inside, so Irene Guerrero could return to the title she enjoyed in her debut against Finland.

The other option is still to put Mariona Caldentey alongside the Balearic and Aitana Bonmatí called to take the lead again, which would open a gap on the left side possibly for Athenea del Castillo. Sheila García and Lucía García aspire to repeat from the start, although there are the options of Marta Cardona and the young Claudia Pina to disarm a defense of three central defenders.

"It's a good feeling to come into this match knowing that a win will see us through and that it doesn't have to be by four or five goals. But it will be tough because once again we're up against a really strong team," Soendergaard warned of this duel. with the Spanish team, which in its undefeated streak was already capable of thrashing the Danish team 3-0 in a friendly a year ago, with whom it will live its fourteenth confrontation.

The current runner-up, number 15 in the FIFA world ranking, has not left her best feelings in the tournament, but she has managed to arrive 'alive'. Germany shook her in her debut (4-0) and Pernilla Harder had to come to the rescue against Finland with a saving goal in the 72nd minute, but now none of that counts in her attempt to return to the top eight.

Precisely, Harder is the main threat of a team that is very dangerous up top along with Nadia Nadim and Signe Bruun. The Danish coach is bringing back midfielder Kathrine Moeller Khül for this match, who was sent off against the Germans, while Madrid player Sofia Svava could regain her starting position in the left lane.

DINAMARCA: Christensen; Roads, Ballisager, Sevecke; Thomsen, Junge, Troelsgaard, Svava; Nadim, Bruun and Harder.

SPAIN: Sandra Paños; Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Mapi León, Leila Ouahabi; Aitana Bonmati, Laia Aleixandri, Patri Guijarro; Shei García, Lucía González and Mariona Caldentey.

--ARBITRATOR: Rebecca Welch (ENG).

--ESTADIO: Brentford Community Stadium.

--TIME: 21.00/La1.