Jorge Vilda said he had “the 23 best players in the world” after Aitana Bonmati starred in a 5-1 demolition of Switzerland on Saturday to send Spain into the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
Bonmati scored twice and got two assists in front of 43,217 at Auckland’s Eden Park — a record for a football match in New Zealand — with Spain playing the Netherlands or South Africa in the last eight.
Bonmati’s early opener in the last-16 tie was cancelled out by a spectacular Laia Codina own goal, but Alba Redondo restored Spain’s lead and Bonmati scored again to make it 3-1.
Codina then made up for her error by getting a fourth before the interval and Jennifer Hermoso made it 5-1 in the second half.
It was a defiant response to Spain’s 4-0 defeat by Japan in their last group game and justified coach Vilda’s decision to leave Alexia Putellas out of his starting line-up.
The reigning Ballon d’Or winner is still recovering her fitness following a…
Source: Guardian Newspaper
