England kicked off the match with high intensity, while Spain played patiently. The first shot of the game came from England’s forward, Lauren Hemp, in the 5th minute, but it was straight at Spain’s goalkeeper, Cata Coll. A minute later, Spain took advantage of a transition to launch a counter-attack, resulting in a loose cross from Alba Redondo, their center forward. England responded by creating chances, threading balls through to their centre forward, Alessia Russo. However, when Spain had possession, they held onto the ball without capitalising.
The game’s turning point came when England’s holding midfielder, Keira Walsh, was fouled by Salma Paralluelo, leading to England’s best chance. In the 16th minute, Lauren Hemp had a clear shot on goal, but unfortunately hit the crossbar. The momentum shifted when Spain mounted their first substantial attack a minute later. Vice-captain Olga Carmona crossed the ball to Paralluelo, whose touch redirected the ball to Alba Redondo. A quick save by England’s goalkeeper, Mary Earps, denied Redondo’s shot.
The match continued with back-and-forth action, with both teams creating opportunities. In the 29th minute, Spain broke the deadlock as Olga Carmona capitalised on a tight-angled opportunity, slotting the ball past Earps into the right corner of the net. Despite featuring more players from Barcelona, Spain’s goal came from a swift counter-attack, reminiscent of Real Madrid’s style.
England struggled after conceding the goal, allowing Spain more chances. England recovered towards the end of the first half, but they couldn’t convert their opportunities into goals. The first half ended with Paralluelo hitting the crossbar for Spain in added time.
Coming back from half-time, England changed their formation to the 4–3–3 they had been consistently using under Coach Wiegman. The shift improved England’s defence and created better chances. Spain made a substitution, swapping their centre forward Redondo for defensive player Oihane Hernández in the 60th minute. Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí attempted a long-range shot in the 62nd minute, testing England’s defence.
England’s confidence took a hit when Walsh conceded a penalty for an accidental handball in the box. However, Earps saved Jennifer Hermoso’s penalty shot in the 70th minute after a VAR review. Spain’s Laia Codina was substituted due to injury in the 73rd minute.
Spain controlled the game for the remaining time, frustrating England’s efforts. With several substitutions and injuries, including Alex Greenwood’s head injury, the match extended to 13 minutes of added time due to VAR and treatment delays.
Despite England’s desperate attempts, they couldn’t find a breakthrough in the added time. Spain’s defence held strong, and the match concluded with Coll saving a late shot from England’s Alexia Putellas.
In the end, Spain’s strategic control secured them the victory, with the final whistle blowing after a corner taken in the 104th minute.
