Spain beat Sweden to reach their first Women’s World Cup final in a dramatic finish in Auckland.
Captain Olga Carmona scored an 89th-minute winner to spark wild scenes of jubilation among their supporters at Eden Park.
Sweden – who have now lost back-to-back World Cup semi-finals – had equalised through Rebecka Blomqvist just 93 seconds earlier and it looked like the match would be going to extra time.
A game of few chances had sparked into life when substitute Salma Paralluelo, 19, gave Spain the lead with just 10 minutes remaining.
They will face England or hosts Australia in the final in Sydney on Sunday.
While Spain’s players celebrated wildly on the pitch at full-time, Sweden’s dropped to the floor as their World Cup dream came to an end.
There was little evidence of what was to come during a tight and cagey opening 80 minutes.
Spain boss Jorge Vilda opted to recall two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, whose minutes on the pitch have been limited as she returns from a serious knee injury.
And it was Putellas who brought the biggest cheer of the opening half from the sell-out 43,217 crowd when she nutmegged Manchester City’s Filippa Angeldahl.
It took until the 42nd minute for the first shot on target, Sweden’s Fridolina Rolfo denied her third goal of the tournament by her Barcelona team-mate Cata Coll.
Spain dominated possession but Sweden’s defence, which has been solid and resolute for the past month, frustrated their opponents for long periods, while the Swedes once again used a familiar weapon to try and find a breakthrough.
Seven of their 11 goals at this tournament before the semi-final had come from set-pieces but Coll, who had not started a senior game for Spain prior to the World Cup, stood up well to Sweden’s inswinging corners, which had caused havoc in previous matches.
Then came the explosive finish.
Paralluelo, who scored the winner in the quarter-final against the Netherlands, kept her composure to fire Spain ahead before substitute Blomqvist poked home the equaliser.
With extra time looming, Carmona sent Spain through with a shot which went in off the bar following a corner.
More to follow.
Player of the match
BatlleOna Batlle
Spain
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Squad number2Player nameBatlle
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Squad number18Player nameParalluelo
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Squad number19Player nameCarmona
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Squad number11Player namePutellas
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Squad number6Player nameBonmatí
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Squad number8Player nameMariona Caldentey
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Squad number17Player nameRedondo
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Squad number3Player nameAbelleira
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Squad number4Player nameParedes
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Squad number10Player nameHermoso
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Squad number14Player nameCodina
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Squad number15Player nameNavarro
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Squad number9Player nameGonzález
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Squad number23Player nameCata Coll
Sweden
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Squad number19Player nameRytting Kaneryd
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Squad number16Player nameAngeldahl
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Squad number18Player nameRolfö
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Squad number15Player nameBlomqvist
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Squad number11Player nameBlackstenius
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Squad number6Player nameEriksson
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Squad number8Player nameHurtig
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Squad number13Player nameIlestedt
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Squad number9Player nameAsllani
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Squad number23Player nameRubensson
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Squad number14Player nameBjörn
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Squad number1Player nameMusovic
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Squad number2Player nameAndersson
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Squad number22Player nameSchough
Line-ups
Spain
Formation 4-3-3
- 23Coll Lluch
- 2Batlle
- 4Paredes
- 14Codina
- 19Carmona
- 6Bonmatí
- 3Abelleira
- 11PutellasSubstituted forParallueloat 57′minutes
- 17RedondoSubstituted forNavarroat 73′minutes
- 10Hermoso
- 8Caldentey OliverSubstituted forGonzálezat 90+5′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Rodríguez Rivero
- 5Andrés
- 7Guerrero
- 9González
- 13Salón
- 15Navarro
- 16Pérez
- 18Paralluelo
- 20Gálvez
- 21Zornoza
- 22del Castillo
Sweden
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Musovic
- 14Björn
- 13Ilestedt
- 6Eriksson
- 2Andersson
- 16Angeldahl
- 23RubenssonSubstituted forHurtigat 87′minutes
- 19Rytting KanerydSubstituted forSchoughat 77′minutes
- 9Asllani
- 18Rolfö
- 11BlacksteniusSubstituted forBlomqvistat 77′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Sembrant
- 4Lennartsson
- 5Sandberg
- 7Janogy
- 8Hurtig
- 10Jakobsson
- 12Falk
- 15Blomqvist
- 17Seger
- 20Bennison
- 21Enblom
- 22Schough
- Referee:
- Edina Alves Batista
- Attendance:
- 43,217
Live Text
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Match ends, Spain 2, Sweden 1.
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Second Half ends, Spain 2, Sweden 1.
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Olga Carmona (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lina Hurtig (Sweden).
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Eva Navarro (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Nathalie Björn (Sweden).
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Substitution, Spain. Esther González replaces Mariona Caldentey.
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Irene Paredes (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden).
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Foul by Teresa Abelleira (Spain).
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Lina Hurtig (Sweden) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Goal! Spain 2, Sweden 1. Olga Carmona (Spain) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Teresa Abelleira following a corner.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Nathalie Björn.
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Goal! Spain 1, Sweden 1. Rebecka Blomqvist (Sweden) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lina Hurtig with a headed pass.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Substitution, Sweden. Lina Hurtig replaces Elin Rubensson.
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Delay in match because of an injury Cata Coll (Spain).
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Attempt missed. Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Elin Rubensson following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Laia Codina (Spain).
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Rebecka Blomqvist (Sweden) wins a free kick in the attacking half.