MADRID, 11 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The women’s national soccer coach, Jorge Vilda, was “very happy”, like the rest of the Spanish expedition in the 2023 World Cup, after sealing the ticket to the semifinals this Friday with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in extra time, thanking the support of the RFEF with Luis Rubiales “at the head”.
“The first thing I think about is my family, but the Federation must be highlighted, with Luis Rubiales (RFEF president) at the helm. From the first day they have been supporting and without that it would not have been possible. Now, let’s recover for the semifinals”, he said in statements to TVE, collected by Europa Press.
Spain expanded its historic passage through Australia and New Zealand by sneaking into the semifinals of a World Cup for the first time. “In the end it’s the joint work. We’ve been preparing for 50 days, but it’s a match for which they’ve been preparing all their lives. Everything counts and now everything is worth it,” he said.
Vilda’s men, who also made their debut in the quarterfinals, had a great first half but had to suffer in the second half, with the Netherlands forcing extra time in the 91st minute. “We have lost aerial duels, they have countered us. The team has recovered. How they have struggled, how they have grown in adversity, then Salma’s goal and happiness,” he said.
“It has been a game that has suffered more than what has been seen. In extra time it was to continue believing, to win the duels again. They were hurting us. With the changes, with Salma and Eva, we have picked up speed on the wing, recovered balls in the medium and we are very happy”, he concluded.