AUCKLAND – Spain will play for its first Women's World Cup championship after Olga Carmona's goal in the 89th minute lifted La Roja to a 2-1 victory over Sweden in the Tuesday semifinal.
Spain, which overcame last year's near mutiny by its players against coach Jorge Vilda, will play the winner of tournament co-host Australia and England on Sunday in the final in Sydney.
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The controversy surrounding Spain dates to last September, when 15 players signed a letter complaining about Vilda and the conditions for the the national team. Three of those players are on this World Cup team, and Vilda a day before the game against Sweden praised the Spanish federation for its support.
Now, La Roja has a chance to become a first-time World Cup champion.
“This is a historic day,” said Vilda. “We’re in the final, that’s what we wanted.”
He again thanked the federation and its leadership for the support that has Spain one win away from the World Cup.
“The end result is a learning process which has made us all stronger in my opinion, and to leave it archived in the past and think about the future,” Vilda said through a translator. “And to think that we’re here because we deserve it.”
Carmona's goal capped a flurry of late scoring that saw Sweden tie the game, then Spain win it 90 seconds later on the surprise score.
Salma Paralluelo, the 19-year-old super-sub who also scored the game-winner in Spain’s 2-1 extra-time quarterfinals victory over the Netherlands, scored in the 81st minute to put Spain up 1-0. She gestured for the crowd to cheer, and the crowd thought it was celebrating Spain's decider.
But the celebration was brief. Rebecka Blomqvist tied it for Sweden in the 88th.
Then, just 90 seconds later, Carmona beat Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic with the game-winner.
“It was really, really really crazy," Spanish defender Irene Paredes said. “After scoring the first one it was like, ‘OK, this is the end, we have to keep this score.’ But they scored quite fast and I was like, `What the hell happened?' But we had confidence that we could create something else."
Sweden has now lost in four of five semifinals and will try to finish third for a fourth time.
“I have to watch the game, I really do, before I can make any assessments,” said Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson. “Right now I am full of emotions. It is is the third loss in the semifinals. I think everyone just feels sadness and huge disappointment.”
Paralluelo became just the second teenager to score in a Women’s World Cup semifinal after Kara Lang of Canada in 2003, also against Sweden
“It was a magic moment. It is something very unique when I scored the first goal. To be able to repeat is really incredible," Paraluello said.
Spain is playing in only its third World Cup. Four years ago, La Roja advanced to the knockout round but lost to eventual champions the United States.
“Now it’s the final. I think we have to do what we’ve done in every match,” said Paralluelo. “We’ve overcome every challenge and now we face the ultimate challenge, the big one”
The Swedes have never won a World Cup. They were the 2003 runner-up and have finished third three times. Sweden won silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, and at the 2016 Games in Brazil.
“I’m tired of crying big tournament tears,” said Kosovare Asllani. Sweden also lost in the semifinals of the Euros last September.
The Swedes swept their opponents in the group stage before knocking out two-time reigning champion the United States on a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw.
Sweden then got by previously unbeaten Japan 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
Spain fell to second in its group after a blowout loss to Japan, but rallied to beat Switzerland 5-1 and the Netherlands 2-1 to reach the semifinals. It was La Roja’s first appearance in a major semifinal since the 1997 European Championships.
Spain’s two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas made her third start of the World Cup. Putellas ruptured her ACL last summer and has been working her way back to full fitness. She came off the bench in the team’s last two matches.
Putellas, who replaced Esther Gonzalez in the starting 11, was subbed off in the 57th minute for teenage Paralluelo, who has now scored in two straight games.
Spain dominated possession and had the better chances in the first half. Carmona’s blast from the top of the box was a low shot went just wide. Sweden’s defense, which had allowed just two goals in the tournament, held.
Putellas nutmegged Filippa Angeldal before delivering a cross in the 35th minute but Magdalena Eriksson was there to clear it away.
Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll dove to save Fridolina Rolfo’s shot late in the half, then punched the ball away on a corner kick to keep the game scoreless at the half.
Sweden had energy to start the second half but Spain still had chances. Paralleulo’s header in the 63rd minute sailed over the goal.
Alba Redondo was on the ground in front of the goal but got a foot on the ball and appeared to score in the 71st minute, but she was just wide and the ball was caught up in the side netting.
There were a few tense moments when Paralluelo’s goal was checked by video review, but it was awarded.
After Carmona's goal, Spain's players piled on top of her near their bench.
There were 43,217 fans on hand for the match at Auckland’s Eden Park.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup