Super sub Salma Paralluelo’s extra-time strike powers Spain into World Cup semis
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Spain forward Salma Paralluelo scoring the winning goal in their victory against the Netherlands in the Women's World Cup quarter-finals.
PHOTO: AFP
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WELLINGTON – While Spain were expected to lean on the experience of Alexia Putellas and others at the Women’s World Cup, it was teenager Salma Paralluelo who made a spectacular impact off the bench to send La Roja into the semi-finals for the first time.
The 19-year-old Barcelona winger decided a tense quarter-final in Wellington on Friday when she scored the extra-time winner in her side’s 2-1 win over 2019 runners-up the Netherlands.
The former sprinter showcased her speed for the strike, racing up the pitch before sidestepping a defender and firing a left-footed shot that ricocheted off the post and into goal.
“(Coach Jorge Vilda) told me to be sure that I was open for the passes, that I could be in the right spaces and to compete, compete as much as I could,” said Paralluelo. “I had that opportunity and I was lucky to score, so I’m very happy.”
Ballon d’Or winner Putellas, who has yet to have a major impact on the tournament as she returns to fitness after injury, burst into tears after the final whistle.
Paralluelo, who was born in Zaragoza to a Spanish father and Equatorial Guinean mother, made a memorable debut with the senior Spain team only in November, scoring a hat-trick in a 7-0 win over Argentina in a friendly.
She had been one of Spain’s top athletes, competing at the European indoor championships in the 400m in 2019, before giving up running to focus solely on football.
“The goal from Salma, it was sheer joy,” said Vilda. “Salma is a player with enormous potential and she’s not reached her best yet.
“She’s a very young player who has been training one year in football specifically, and the best of Salma we’ll see it in the future.
“Now she’s excellent, but in the future it’s going to be much more.”
Sixth-ranked La Roja face Sweden on Tuesday for a place in the final.
The first goal of the match came only in the 81st minute, as Mariona Caldentey converted a penalty after Paralluelo’s cross struck Stefanie van der Gragt’s flailing hand inside the penalty box.
Defender van der Gragt, who is now set to retire aged 30, made amends in the first minute of stoppage time when her surging run was found by Victoria Pelova before blasting past Cata Coll in the Spain goal.
The Netherlands had the better chances in extra time, but conceded the decisive goal to Paralluelo as penalties loomed, prompting Dutch coach Andries Jonker to admit that Spain are now the team to beat.
“Spain, my forecast was they’d make the final and the second candidate might have been us,” he said.
“But anyway, you get Spain against you and on paper you’ve got a whole plan worked out, but at the end of the day, they’re an excellent team.
“Had we made it, we’d have been convinced to make it through the semi-finals and make it to the final.” REUTERS, AFP
