Spain closes the year with a new victory. This time against Japan. For the minimum time against a rival that he will face again in the World Cup and that has never managed to beat Vilda's. The selected position of him is further strengthened, to which the results support the support given by Rubiales, when the crisis of the Las Rozas mutiny broke out.
"Today's match is for the World Cup and has important relevance," said Jorge Vilda before the match was played against Japan, a team that is eleventh in the FIFA ranking and that has been placed in the same group as Spain in the initial phase of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. And the national team only took nine minutes to take the lead against the Japanese. Alba Redondo knew how to take advantage of a rebound after a strong and distant shot from Claudia Zornoza that stunned the defense and the eastern goalkeeper. Spain expressed its superiority and confirmed its good health after victories against the United States (2-0) and Argentina (7-0) and a draw against Sweden (1-1).
Jorge Vilda's team flies. And excites. The fear of failure spurred by the 15 riots that plunged the team into one of the most serious crises in its history has been shaken. Both that inclusion that the coach refused to talk about Alexia Putellas this week and his chances of being in the World Cup. The results support him in a hypothetical decision not to summon the greatest player in the world, winner of two consecutive Ballon d'Ors.
The first half was even, with no great chances and Spain and Japan fighting for possession of the ball. Futushi Ikeda's team was approaching Misa's mediations but without scaring. It was more of a want than a can. Vilda's men were better positioned and moved the ball with more discretion. However, the Asian team was stretching, given the tranquility of the Spanish and half an hour later the first serious scare came with some fists that Misa had to pull out to thwart a chance by Minami, who was able to finish off alone. Alba Redondo replied with a header ten minutes later but the ball went slightly high.
The game got stuck at the restart, with Japan faithful to its idea and trying to achieve a tie but with little success. And with Spain trying to come out with the controlled ball but under great pressure from the Japanese. Salma Paralluelo was the solution to unblock the crash. The Barcelona player had scored three goals in her senior debut last Friday against Argentina. She oxygenated the team entering through Marta Cardona with half an hour to go. She began to suffer Spain, unaccustomed to being pressured so low, but defended well, although she had to concede too many free kicks in the mediation of the area. And Japan is a team that works well with strat plays and set pieces.
He tried to regain control of Vilda. He entered Nahikari García and Fiamma to recover the control that had been lost due to the fatigue of Alba Redondo and Teresa Abelleira. Flashes of Athenea del Castillo, with some other fancy clipping. In the end, although Spain suffered more than necessary, they were able to maintain the advantage and say goodbye to 2022 with a new and hopeful victory.
