🌏 What went down Down Under? WWC Day 2️⃣7️⃣ | OneFootball

With the World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand, plenty of fans around the world will be in bed when some of the games take place. Not to worry, we have you covered.

Quick, what were the results?

Spain became the first country to book their place in this summer’s finals with a dramatic win over Sweden.

So, do you have a Moment of the Day?

This tournament has continued to deliver dramatic moments but none more so than the beautiful madness of the final 90 seconds in Wellington.

Sweden believed they had done enough to take Spain into extra-time at Eden Park when a sublime volley from Rebecka Blomqvist cancelled out Salma Paralluelo’s opener.

Parity, however, proved to be short-lived as Olga Carmona drilled home a winner on the edge of the area after a tee-up by her Real Madrid teammate Teresa Abelleira.

Entering this World Cup, Spain had previously failed to win a knockout game at a World Cup. They arrived at this summer’s finals against a tumultuous backdrop of internal politics. They have had to dig deep, too, with not just the Blågult providing stern opposition en route to their first-ever showpiece at Sydney’s Stadium Australia this weekend.

But La Roja’s golden generation are more than worthy of their maiden final appearance after showing a real never-say-die attitude typified by Carmona’s late strike.

And a Player of the Day for me?

Paralluelo has undoubtedly become Spain’s player of the moment in the tournament’s latter stages.

Fresh from scoring an extra-time winner in the quarter-final against the Netherlands, the 19-year-old delivered once more to break the deadlock.

Replacing Ballon d’Or holder and Barcelona team-mate Alexia Putellas would be a tall order for most players to fulfil on the game’s biggest stage.

Yet Paralluelo embraced the challenge by breaking the deadlock late on in Tuesday’s cagey encounter with a vastly more experienced Sweden.

As a former sprinter who represented her country in the 400m at the European Indoor Championships in 2019, pace comes naturally to the winger.

But her sense of anticipation is just as razor-sharp as she found a pocket of space to sweep the opener beyond Zećira Mušović before the frantic finale.

Come on, show us a picture perfect moment:

Deflation and delight exist side-by-side as Amanda Ilestedt and Carmona go through contrasting emotions.

Anything else I should know?

Spain will find out their final opponents on Wednesday when England take on co-hosts Australia.

The Matildas are the only team to inflict defeat during Sarina Wiegman’s 37 games in charge of the European champions, winning a friendly between the sides back in April.

Sam Kerr scored the opener that day and could make her first start of the tournament but that won’t distract Wiegman from the task at hand.

“Australia is not just Sam Kerr. Of course she’s a threat – she’s a very good player, so lots of respect, but there is more than Sam Kerr,” the England boss said on Tuesday. “In the end, it’s always a team performance. That’s the same for Australia and for England.”