Spain 3-0 Costa Rica: Barça's Aitana Bonmati on target in easy World Cup win
The midfielder got the second goal as Spain began with a win in New Zealand
Spain made a winning debut (3-0) at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Against perhaps even weaker opponents than might have been expected, Jorge Vilda's side were able to get their first three points after a good first half, in which they overwhelmed their opponents. It is only the second World Cup victory in the history of the women's national team.
La Roja took to Wellington's Sky Stadium in a blanket of water and a wind chill of three degrees. Radically the opposite of the intense heat in the Mediterranean these days. Far from coming out stiff, the team coached by Vilda burst with virulence in a World Cup that kicked off on Thursday with a great show and with New Zealand growing in front of the home crowd and defeating favourites Norway.
The most striking thing about the Spain team was the absence of the best player on the planet. Alexia Putellas recently returned from an ACL injury and Vilda preferred her to start on the bench. As it turned out, she wasn't necessary either. Salma, Aitana, Ona Batlle and Irene Paredes were the Barça representatives in Spain's first World Cup XI. Up front, Real Madrid dominated with Esther and Athenea.
After a header from captain Ivana, which Solera got her fingertips to palm away, the floodgates opened. A great Spanish move got the ball to Esther on the left. The striker put a tense pass into the heart of the six-yard box that Valeria put into her own net.
With the goal, Vilda's team's turned it up a notch. Three minutes later, Athenea was played in on the right, the ball fell to Ona Batlle, who laid it off for her new Barça team-mate Aitana, who struck a left-footed shot to put Spain two up.
Spain, who had countless clear-cut chances, scored the third in the 27th minute. This time it was the insistent Esther who got on the end of a rebound in the box after Jenni's shot hit the post.
From then until half-time, it was a monologue and a there was penalty missed by Hermoso in the 34th minute. The bench was completely relaxed, as everything was going well.
Spain came out of the blocks again after the restart in New Zealand's capital. First Olga Carmona's long-range effort hit the crossbar and then Salma, who made a great individual move, shot wide.
As the minutes ticked by (and the rain was falling harder and harder on the Sky Stadium), Spain began to relax. The intensity in both pressing and creating dropped a few revolutions. And so the match, with Costa Rica never willing (or able) to go one gear too far, fell into a general stupor.
ALEXIA'S MOMENT
An icy atmosphere was broken by the entrance of the Ballon d'Or holder. The Sky Stadium erupted in applause in the 77th minute with the appearance of Alexia Putellas at the World Cup. The Barça player was on fire and she soon had the first chance with a shot that the goalkeeper caught. Together with Mariona Caldentey, who also came on in the second half, she tried to add a little spark.
Spain tried to put the icing on the cake, but they found the 11 Tico players practically packed into their area. Spain were unable to find the space and had fewer ideas than in the first 45 minutes, which should serve as a reference for what was to come. Before the final whistle, Alba Redondo had a great chance after a fine low cross from Oihane.
It was an encouraging start for a Spanish team who are aware that they will come up against much tougher opposition from now on. Above all, Japan, with whom, a priori, they will have to battle it out for top spot in Group C (31/07).
