Spain are set to face Switzerland in the round of 16 of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but it has not all been plain sailing, as Relevo have explained.
Spain only needed two games to seal their place in the knockouts, after beating Costa Rica and Zambia. The team were flying and hadn’t yet conceded a goal, and then came Japan in the third and final group game.
Japan dismantled the Spaniards 4-0, and left a sour taste to what had been a very positive group stage. Spain will now be looking to make amends against Switzerland, and prove that the game against Japan was nothing more than a blip.
The repercussions of finishing second are that Jorge Vilda’s team have to move back to Auckland, so they are forced to travel again. That would not have been the case if they had finished first.
If they were in pole position, they would have been able to stay Wellington, and they wouldn’t have had to face Switzerland, who topped their group. Spain’s knockout game against Switzerland will be played on August 5.
Japtej Ghura | GSFN
