The Spanish women’s U-19 team closed the first phase of the European Championship in the Czech Republic withor outstanding leader of group Aafter drawing this Sunday 1-1 with Francethe current continental champion, in a match in which those of Pedro Lopez they found no prize for their greatest ambition.
A circumstance that did not prevent Spain add the point it needed to achieve the first place in the group, which will allow him to face next Wednesday with the second classified of group B, in which Sweden, England and Norway will fight this Sunday to reach the penultimate round.
With the qualification for the semifinals assured, the Spanish coach Pedro López did not hesitate to revolutionize the starting eleven with the presence of up to six new players in relation to the team that thrashed the Czech Republic 0-5 last Thursday.
Rotations that weighed down the game by bands that gave such good results against the Central European team.
Neither Ane Elexpuru, nor Andrea Medinatwo full-backs who saw their position advanced, were as incisive as the Barcelona players Ona and Ornellathose in charge of opening the pitch against the Czech team.
And that the best chance of the Spanish team came after fifteen minutes in a center from the right wing of Elexpuru that Carmen finished off slightly deviated head.
But even so, the Spanish players did not dare to insist on playing on the wing, to the satisfaction of the rocky French team, who, knowing that a draw was enough to get the ticket for the semifinals, limited themselves to defending while waiting to take advantage of a failure of the Spanish team.
A plan that seemed to fall apart after 29 minutes of play with fallo of the French goalkeeper Ines Marques, that in an incomprehensible way was overcome by the bounce of the ball in an innocent long pass from the Spanish central defender Silvia Lloris.
However, the joy of the Spanish team did not last long, which a few seconds after establishing the 0-1 saw how France returned the equalizer (1-1) to the scoreboard in a defensive neglect of the Spanish team that Nesrine Bahlouli did not waste to demonstrate his speed and power.
Something that forced Spain to start over, something that seemed much easier when you have a player as the striker Carmen Alvarezwhich does not need much to generate danger.
As he demonstrated in the 56th minute with a header to the center of elexpuru and four later, in the 60th minute, when he took advantage of a mistake by the French defense to take a powerful shot that narrowly missed the goal.
Occasions that did not seem to faze the French team, who remained barricaded in their own field to defend the point that ensured their presence in the semifinals.
Quite the opposite of Spain, which despite the fact that the tie secured first place in the group, did not give up victory and sought to unbalance the contest with the entrance of the ends Ona and Ornella eight minutes to go.
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Little time for the two Spanish wingers to break the tie (1-1) that certified the first place in the Pedro Lopezwho will have to wait to know the result of the matches that will face Germany with England and Norway with Sweden this Sunday to know their rival in the semifinals.
Data sheet:
1 – France: Marquess; Vairon (Haelewyn, d.88), Rastocle, Sevenne, Fontaine; Yetna (Kbida, m.68), Neller, Coquet (Benyahia, m.88); Binate, Ribadeira and Bahlouli.
1 – Spain: Jana; Martina, Valle (Ona, m.82), Lloris, Medina (Mingueza, m.75); Zubieta (Esther, m.75); Elexpuru, Julia Bartel, Fiamma; Mirari (Ornella, m.82) and Carmen (Lucía, m.88).
Goals: 0-1, m.29: Lloris. 1-1, m.30 Bahlouli.
Referee: Catarina Campos (POR). Showed yellow card to Vairon for France; and to Medina, Zubieta and Mirari for Spain.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the third and final day of Group A of the U19 European Women’s Championship played at the Bazaly stadium in Ostrava (Czech Republic).
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