Spain lost. Lost to Italy (2-3), victim of a chaotic second halfIt started with the first Italian goal when the team had 10 players on the field. But before that, he already held the ticket to the last four semi-finals, the penultimate step to qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The choice was already there Montse Tome Benefiting from Switzerland’s victory over Sweden (1-0).

This is his first defeat with the world champion star on his chest. With the wind at their back, Spain could not dominate the match with Athenea del Castillo’s goal that awarded the game in the first half. They had the upper hand at the start, although things went haywire at the start of the second half as the Italians equalised.

The goal scored when Montse Tomé had 10 players in his team. It’s incomprehensible. It’s truly unbearable. Despite the failure to call for offside before Giancinti’s shot, the Italians took advantage of the confusion. While Aitana was no longer on the field and Esther had not yet appeared on the field.

It was a surreal scene. Spain jumped with nine players. Two changes were made, but only Lucía García entered in time. When the referee blew the whistle, Esther was still not ready as she took off her jacket. She didn’t know she had to go out onto the grass, so it took a while for she to emerge as she had to take off all her clothes as well as putting on her shin guards.

Tere Abelleira lamented after the defeat against Italy, saying, “We don’t know what happened, but this can’t happen again.” He said, “They achieved their goals, but the first minutes of the second half were not good. Everything happened very quickly, but these are things that are in the game and we cannot afford it.” .We seek perfection.”

“Why did we start the second half with 10 players? We started with one player less because Aitana informed us late that he was not available.”

Montse Tomé – Spanish manager

“We entered the second half disconnected. We conceded two goals early. Why did we start with 10 players at the start? We started with one less player because Aitana informed us late that he was unavailable,” Tomé told Teledeporte on TVE. “So then we had Esther come on and they scored the second goal there. It was difficult for us to react,” the coach added.

We started the second half badly

A calm first half gave way to a chaotic second, causing distrust to emerge in Spain; A team that showed unexpected vulnerability, conceding three goals in less than 20 minutes. Every goal was a portrait of the world champions’ defensive error. And on both 1-2 and 1-3 he came into the small area of ​​Cata CollThat barrage of Italian games that left Spain cold is behind us. Cold as a Galician night.

He wanted to react to the slap Spain gave him. However, Tere Abelleira’s beautiful outside shot hit the post and Salma Paralluelo’s failure to score in the small area caused concern among Spanish fans. until it shows up Esther GonzálezHis control was superb, his shot superb to put the world champion within reach of Italy.

The game has gone crazy. Spain went wild and were of course aided by Cata Coll’s superb save from outside the area with the Welshman left-footed. A unanimous cry boomed in the Pasarón stadium (Pontevedra): “Yes, we can! Yes we can!” It was time for Tomé’s team to intimidate Italy, who made the only possible decision.

He was locked in his own zone as Spain tried to find a way to equalize a match that had become unexpectedly complicated. The team had not suffered a defeat since the painful defeat against Japan in the World Cup (4-0 on July 31). And so it was Montse Tomé’s first defeat as Mariona Caldentey’s chance failed to materialize in extra time.

A defeat without weight, because the path to the Paris Olympics is clearer for the world champions, because three of the four who make it to the last four of the League of Nations will receive the Olympic prize. Italy, meanwhile, gave a lesson in efficiency and pragmatism: five shots on goal, four on goal, three goals. It is also a defeat that is a serious learning experience because you cannot start the second half with only 10 players.

Spain: Cata Coll; Olga, Laia Alexandri, Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle; Jennifer Hermoso, Teresa, Aitana; Mariona, Paralluelo, Athenea del Castillo.

Changes: Lucía García, Athenea del Castillo (d. 46): Esther, Aitana Bonmatí (d. 49); Ivana Andrés, Irene Paredes (d. 67);

Italy: Giuliani; Di Guiglielmo, Lenzini, Linari, Boattin; Bergamaschi, Caruso, Giuliano, Cambiaghi; Dragoni, Giancinti.

Changes: Cantore, Giacinti (d. 54); Catena, Dragoni (d. 54); Galli, Giuliano (d. 71); Piemonte, Cambiaggi (m. 90+1); Di Guigliemo’s Salvai (d. 90+1).

Aim: 1-0, Athenea del Castillo (m. 12); 1-1, Giancinti (art. 46); 1-2, Cambhiagi (d. 57); 1-3, Linari (d. 64); 2-3, Esther González (art. 76)

Judge: Eleni Antoniou.

Yellow cards: Ivana Andrés (d. 82); Lucía García (d. 85)

Audience: 9,000.