Olga Carmona struck an 89th-minute winner as Spain dramatically beat Sweden 2-1 to reach the Women’s World Cup final for the first time.
For the first 81 minutes at Eden Park it was a tense affair lacking in quality and clear-cut chances, but the game burst into life in remarkable fashion late on.
As extra-time loomed, Salma Paralluelo fired Spain in front with a first-time finish, but Rebecka Blomqvist swiftly responded off the bench as she levelled the match up.
There was still time for a winner though, Sweden level for less than two minutes as Carmona hammered a strike in off the underside of the bar to leave Spain booking their flights to Sydney for the final, where they will face either hosts Australia or England.
A tight first 45 minutes followed an expected pattern in Auckland, with Spain seeing plenty of the ball and Sweden waiting for their moments on the break and from set-pieces. The only real chance of the half fell to Fridolina Rolfo, but her volley was comfortably saved.
The match did not particularly open up after the break, with no hints of the drama that was to come in the closing stages. Paralluelo replaced Alexia Putellas and, with Spain’s first shot on target of the match, she broke the deadlock. A ball into the box dropped at her feet and Paralluelo found the space to find the bottom corner, surviving the brief VAR check for offside that followed.
Sweden’s substitutes proved just as effective, Lina Hurtig knocking the ball down barely a minute after coming on and Blomqvist held her nerve with a composed finish to equalise with just two minutes remaining.
Extra-time at that point appeared a certainity, but as those in yellow in the stands still celebrated Blomqvist’s goal, Spain left them stunned. A quick corner caught Sweden out, Carmona tried her luck from the edge of the box and the ball flew over Zecira Musovic, off the woodwork and into the roof of the net to leave Spain one win away from football’s ultimate prize.
