LAS ROZAS (MADRID), Sep. 2 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s soccer team maintained its full victories this Friday in the qualifying phase for the 2023 World Cup in Austria and New Zealand, and although it lacked more forcefulness, it easily beat Hungary 3-0 in the City of Fútbol de Las Rozas (Madrid) to at least forget for a moment everything that happened in the previous days.
After a very turbulent concentration at the moment, the internationals surely did not sign a brilliant match, although they did not stop trying at all times. The goal was kept clean once again in this phase, but the offensive flow, located at more than seven goals per game, dropped ostensibly on a night in which they lacked a little more efficiency in the decisive meters.
Jorge Vilda did not introduce too many new features regarding the last eleven that he lined up in the European Championship against England since two of them were mandatory, those of Ivana Andrés and Claudia Zornoza for the injured ‘Mapi’ León and Aitana Bonmatí, while Misa Rodríguez had the ownership in the goal on a quiet night for the Canarian.
Spain dominated from the opening whistle against a rival that was barely able to spread out and was rarely able to cross the midfield line. The Hungarian team preferred to equip themselves close to Biro in search of avoiding the biggest possible win as it had already happened in their stadium (0-7).
The locals took time to find their best rhythm, almost always on the left side, where Olga Carmona took advantage of the spaces left by Mariona Caldentey to enter dangerously again and again. Hungary defended better on her left side, where her defense controlled an Athenea del Castillo with more efficiency and order than she always tried, although without much success.
Zornoza was the first to try on Biro’s gloves, who was brave enough to cover Carmona’s umpteenth shipment to Esther González shortly after, but could not avoid a crash that caused him a severe blow to the head for which he had to be bandaged and made the game stop for a few minutes.
After the restart, it was 1-0, the work of Esther, who executed a wonderful pass into space by an imperial Patri Guijarro. With no time for Hungary to concede the blow, Irene Paredes headed the net to make it 2-0, a goal that surely brought a smile to her face after a few difficult days. The stands, very affectionate with the captain since the announcement of the line-up, and her teammates, also joined forces with the center-back.
From then on, Spain, despite not giving up trying, also noticed the moment of the season and the piston went down a bit and could not further increase the score in a final stretch marked on the negative side by Mariona Caldentey’s injury , who sprained his right ankle in a play and could not continue.
In search of maintaining the greatest possible intensity, in addition to the forced change of the Balearic for Lucía García, Amaiur Sarriegi and Laia Aleixandri also entered, again in their most natural position in defense. The Real striker had a good chance for the third after an individual action by the new United player, but she was not successful at the start of a second half where Hungary put her lines a little further ahead. Captain Vago had the honor of taking the first shot of the match of her own, soft for Misa.
Despite leading the charge thanks to the quality of Patri Guijarro, capable of creating and destroying, and Claudia Zornoza, the national team was not able to increase their lead on the scoreboard, although the Madrid midfielder had a good opportunity to do so. To increase the offensive power, Vilda reached out for the final half hour of Jenni Hermoso, placed as a hitch and who was not fast enough in the area to take advantage of another good run by a lively Lucía García.
Guijarro was rewarded for his great game with a sensational goal from another of his best qualities, his powerful shot from outside the area. Spain had more options, but did not hit more in a final stretch that served for Oihane Hernández to have his debut with the Absolute. On Tuesday close of this phase against Ukraine in the same scenario.