Claudia Pina scored twice and Germany crumbled on Tuesday as Spain retained the UEFA Women’s Nations League title with a 3-0 victory in the final’s second leg.
Vicky Lopez also scored after Pina finally broke the deadlock in the 61st minute with Germany stubbornly hanging on as Spain had done in the first leg, a 0-0 draw in Kaiserslautern on Friday.
Spain were without three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, who broke her leg in training on Sunday.
Photo: AFP
Lopez took Bonmati’s place and Spain dominated from the start. Esther Gonzalez swept the ball just past the post and Mariona Caldentey forced a save from Ann-Katrin Berger early on as the flag-waving fans roared encouragement.
Nearly 56,000 supporters attended the match at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano, easily a record for the Spain team at home. Many children were also present on a cold night in the Spanish capital. None of the supporters seemed to mind the cold with most staying in their seats long after the final whistle.
“One of the most magical nights we have ever experienced, one of the best in my career,” two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas said.
Photo: EPA
“Some of us have been playing for the national team for 13 years and never imagined this,” Putellas said of the attendance. “It says a lot about what we have achieved with women’s soccer in Spain. We will continue to inspire girls and boys to fight for their dreams, which sometimes come true.”
Gonzalez tried her luck with an acrobatic scissors-kick, and Mariona, Lopez and Mariona again all had good chances before the break, with Berger doing well to deny the latter.
Nicole Anyomi had a rare opportunity for Germany in a one-on-one with Cata Coll before the halftime whistle, only to drag her shot wide of the right post.
Photo: EPA
“That has to go in and she had another one in the box in the second half,” Germany coach Christian Wuck said. “That’s the difference between us and the technically gifted Spanish players.”
Pina got the party under way in the 61st minute when she breezed past a Germany defender and played a one-two with Mariona before beating Berger with a low shot. Berger got her hand to the ball, but could not stop its progress inside the right post.
The 19-year-old Lopez scored seven minutes later when she cut in from the right and unleashed a curling shot inside the far post.
Pina sealed the win in the 74th minute after getting a gift of the ball from Germany’s Janina Minge. The Barcelona forward set off for goal and let fly from about 20m past the despairing Berger.
“The goal was to win again and retain the Nations League title. It was all worth it,” Sonia Bermudez said after winning her first title as Spain coach.
The former team captain took over from Montse Tome in August.
It was only Spain’s second win over old foe Germany. The previous came at the UEFA European Women’s Championship last summer when Bonmati scored in extra-time for a 1-0 win in the semi-finals. Spain lost to England on penalties in the final.
That was the only disappointment after reaching the finals of the past four tournaments. Spain beat England in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and bettered France in last year’s Women’s Nations League. Tuesday’s win over Germany made it three wins from four finals.
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