Spain wants to take another step towards a medal in women’s football
The world champions are also favourites against Colombia in the quarter-finals
MADRID, 2 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s football team will play its quarter-final match of the Paris Olympic Games this Saturday (5:00 p.m./La 1) against Colombia, a rival it has never faced before and an obstacle for the world champions to fully pursue their dream of winning medals at the event.
Spain comes into the match undefeated and after having played to their advantage in the group stage against Japan (2-1), Nigeria (1-0) and Brazil (2-0), three matches that served to continue to refine details before facing the debut in an Olympic qualifier that will once again test the ambition and maturity of the team led by Montse Tomé.
So far, the number one in the ranking, without reaching her best level of play, has passed her respective tests well, especially the initial one where she scared away any ‘ghost’ by winning a comeback against the Japanese team in her surely most brilliant match of a tournament where the coach has somewhat distributed the efforts of key players.
However, the ‘Roja’ are going into the match full of hope, but aware that they cannot afford to lose their way on their way to the medals. For the moment, Tomé hopes to be able to count on all of his players in good physical condition after the problems that captain Irene Paredes and full-back Oihane Hernández may have, who did not play in the last match against Brazil, or Patri Guijarro, who received a blow to the knee.
But, without a doubt, the biggest concern now is the goalkeeping, as Cata Coll suffered a knee injury in the clash against the Brazilians, which has caused a small fracture in the bones of her nose, which will force her to wear a special protective mask that does not seem to keep her out of the starting lineup.
Against Brazil, theoretical starters such as Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Salma Paralluelo and Mariona Caldentey did not play from the start, and they will arrive fresher to face a Colombian team that will propose a very physical system with a low block defense, which they are already accustomed to.
CAICEDO, RAMIREZ AND SANTOS, THE COLOMBIAN DANGER
Tomé will most likely repeat the starting eleven he used to face a Colombian team led by players with a past or present in the Spanish league, and who have never played in the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament. The young Real Madrid forward Linda Caicedo, the former Levante forward Mayra Ramírez, and the former Atlético de Madrid midfielder Leicy Santos are the main figures of a team that arrives with nothing to lose and that went through as one of the best third-placed teams.
In the group stage, the South American team has only managed one victory against New Zealand, the first in its short Olympic history in its second participation. In its two other matches, against France and Canada, they suffered defeats that condemned them to this match against Spain, which should not be overconfident because in the last World Cup, the Colombians were able to beat a team of the level of Germany.
A key aspect in this duel will be the rapid offensive transitions of the Colombians, who have a very fast and dangerous attack with Ramírez and Caicedo, which will force the Spanish centre-backs and full-backs to be very attentive to avoid scares.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE LINEUPS:
SPAIN: Coll; Carmona, Paredes, Aleixandri, Batlle; Bonmatí, Guijarro, Putellas; Del Castillo, Paralluelo and Caldentey.
COLOMBIA: Tapia; Vanegas, Carolina Arias, Carabali, Daniela Arias; Montoya, Restrepo, Santos; Caicedo, Pavi and Ramirez.
–REFEREE: Katia Garcia (MEX).
–STADIUM: Groupama Stadium in Lyon.
–TIME: 17.00/La 1.