Relentless Spain reaches Euro 2025 quarters after thumping Belgium

Japan Times

19 hours ago

Spain reached the quarterfinals of Women's Euro 2025 on Monday after the world champion hammered Belgium 6-2, while Italy was held to a 1-1 draw with Portugal at the death.
A brace from the magnificent Alexia Putellas and further goals from Irene Paredes, Esther Gonzalez, Mariona Caldentey and Claudia Pina gave Group B leaders Spain a second thumping win.
Montse Tome's team will win the group if it avoids defeat to Italy, which is two points behind La Roja in second after being denied qualification late on by third-place Portugal, on Friday.
Few would bet on Spain failing to secure first place after two blistering performances in which the team has netted 11 times.
"We knew they would try to sit back and hold us off at the beginning, we could have been better, sure, but you need to adapt during the game. We managed to do that and create good opportunities," Tome told reporters.
"We have to improve but we did what we planned to do."
Belgium, which twice leveled through Justine Vanhaevermaet and Hannah Eurlings, is close to going home after eventually being blown away by relentless waves of attacking football.
The team's players acquitted themselves well until Caldentey forced home Spain's fourth in the 61st minute, defending with grit and causing problems with some punchy breakaway football.
"It was difficult because I really believed in what we were doing and I loved seeing my players give everything they had," said Belgium coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir.
"I really think we gave them a game for at least 60 minutes, a really good game. ... I'm proud of them."
When Putellas finished off a beautiful spell of quick passing in the 22nd minute, it looked like the beginning of a thumping win similar to the 5-0 destruction of Portugal in the opening round.
Yet, seconds later, Vanhaevermaet leveled with the simplest of goals, nodding home Tessa Wullaert's corner.
Paredes put Spain back in the lead six minutes before the break with a bullet header from Pina's deep corner. Again Belgium hit back, this time through Eurlings who sprung the offside trap before rifling home in the 50th minute.
Gonzalez netted her third goal of the tournament two minutes later after collecting Putellas' neat through ball. The game was up when Caldentey bundled home from a corner just after the hour.
Pina smashed in her first goal of the tournament with 10 minutes remaining, and appropriately it was Putellas' deft flick that completed the rout shortly afterwards.
On this form Spain looks a class above the rest of the tournament and clear favorite to win the country's first ever women's European crown.
Italy thought it was joining Spain in the quarters when Cristiana Girelli opened the scoring in Geneva with a brilliant curling effort with 20 minutes remaining.
The Azzurre were saved 10 minutes later when Diana Silva was denied a leveler when she was ruled offside by video assistant referee following her rebound finish from a corner.
But in the 89th minute Diana Gomes lobbed home a leveler that gave Portugal a point and kept the side in the competition moments after Carole Costa headed onto the crossbar.
"It was a very tough match, open right to the end ... a very open match against a Portugal team that gave everything," said Italy coach Andrea Soncin.
"It's a shame because we were in the quarters with a few minutes remaining but it's all still in our hands."
Gomes' goal could be huge, as Portugal, which trails the Italians by three points, faces Belgium while Italy takes on Spain.
Italy currently has a goal difference that is six better than Portugal's, but with Spain up next a big swing is not that hard to imagine.