Spain, without the Golden Ball Alexia Putellas for a large part of the match, easily beat Costa Rica on Friday in Wellington (3-0), overtaken by the pace of the Spaniards already in their legs at the start of the World Cup. Impressively easy, La Roja is the first big team to fully show its game and not make any mistakes. Unlike Norway, beaten by New Zealand (1-0), Canada, Olympic champion, trapped by Nigeria (0-0), and Australia, which obtained a sluggish victory against Ireland (1-0).
Well above physically and technically, Jorge Vilda’s players quickly led the match: they opened the scoring thanks to a cross from Jenni Hermoso cut by Costa Rican Valeria del Campo in her goal (21st), just before a superb sequence and strike from midfielder Aitana Bonmati (23rd). Esther Gonzalez tripled the bet with a super strike from outside the area (27th). In the rain and wind of Wellington, where the thermometer barely showed 10 degrees, they could have driven the point home even more. But Jenni Hermoso missed her penalty, well captured by the opposing goalkeeper, who saved her team several times.
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The sparse but noisy public at the Wellington Regional Stadium was able to see Spain’s double Ballon d’Or Alexia Putellas play, returning in the 77th. The physical condition of the 29-year-old playmaker has raised questions in recent days, but she has reassured by her movements, deviations and races for a quarter of an hour. Putellas replaced the Spanish nugget, Salma Paralluelo, who also marked the meeting with her facilities and her physique. The Spaniards take the lead in Group C while waiting for Zambia-Japan on Saturday (07:00 GMT) in Hamilton.
