Spain overpower Germany to win second women’s Nations League
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Spain's Irene Paredes lifts the trophy as she celebrates winning the Women's Nations League final with teammates.
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MADRID – Spain had only one objective, which was to win, and they defended their women’s Nations League title with a 3-0 second-leg win over Germany on Tuesday following a goalless draw last week.
Claudia Pina’s second-half brace, either side of a Vicky Lopez strike, secured 2023 World Cup winners Spain a third international trophy.
A record crowd on home soil for Spain of 55,843 at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium watched Sonia Bermudez’s side claim the first silverware of the new coach’s reign.
Spain were shorn of three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati after she fractured her leg on Sunday in training, but swept to victory with a convincing display in the capital.
“We had one objective, which was to win, and we did it,” Pina told TVE.
“It was a great game from the whole team and a new trophy. The atmosphere was crazy, the fans, who always support us, came here, without them the victory wouldn’t have been possible.”
The best chance of the first half fell to Germany’s Nicole Anyomi just before the break, but she dragged her shot narrowly wide.
The visitors started the second half strongly, too, before Pina fired Spain ahead in the 61st minute.
Her teenage Barca team-mate Lopez grabbed the second with a delicious curling shot seven minutes later, having come close with a similar effort in the first half which dipped just over.
Pina wrapped up Spain’s triumph with a fine solo goal, winning the ball back just inside Germany territory, driving forward and firing spectacularly into the top corner from distance.
Former Atletico and Barcelona striker Jenni Hermoso played the final 10 minutes as a substitute and was overjoyed to win another trophy with the national team.
Hermoso was forcibly kissed on the lips after Spain won the 2023 World Cup by then Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales, creating worldwide outrage.
Former Spain coach Montse Tome dropped her from the squad but Bermudez recalled Hermoso for the Nations League semis and final after a year in the cold.
“My happy face says it all, to come back, to win in my city, with my people, with the whole family, that we put on a show, it’s great,” Hermoso told TVE.
“Today I am very proud to wear this shirt, to win a title, and still be enjoying football.”
Players celebrated wildly with coach Bermudez afterwards, reflecting a change from the colder relationship they had with Tome, and worse still, Jorge Vilda, who was sacked after the World Cup win amid a huge player strike and the Rubiales kiss scandal.
“This is a very beautiful day to enjoy,” said Bermudez.
“There (in Germany) we weren’t the Spain we wanted to be, we knew that we had the support of the fans here and they were very important.” AFP
