Spain delivered a commanding performance, beating Costa Rica 5-0 while Brazil defeated Australia 2-0 in the other Group A fixture of the Women’s Under-20 World Cup. The two results leave Brazil and Spain tied at the top with four points each, Australia on three and Costa Rica still looking for their first goals.
The San José match unfolded before roughly 20,000 fans at the National Stadium. Early in the first half, Costa Rica created a moment with a crossbar header from Maria Paula Salas, testing Spain and fueling hope among the home supporters.
Spain began to control the tempo after those opening minutes, stretching the field and attacking from the wings through Asun Martinez and Ornela Vignola. In midfield, Julia Bartel and Ariadna Mingueza helped push the ball forward and open spaces for dangerous crosses to arrive.
Spain broke through in the 26th minute from a set piece. Sonia Majarín floated in a corner and Mingueza rose to guide the ball home, giving the Spaniards the lead. Mingueza added a second goal soon after with a powerful strike from inside the box to widen the margin.
The second half saw Spain extend their dominance. In the 62nd minute a penalty converted by Inma Gabarro made it 3-0. The scoring continued late as Salma Paralluelo finished a slick team move, sealing a 5-0 victory that underscored Spain first place ambitions in Group A.
With this win Spain sits atop Group A on four points. They will face Australia next, a clash that could decide the group, while Costa Rica faces Brazil in a match that also carries high stakes for the knockout phase as Brazil sits on four points after their own win.
In the Brazil versus Australia result, Brazil earned a 2-0 victory with Priscila scoring in the 26th minute and Aline getting the second goal just after halftime. Brazil controlled most of the play, while the post and resilient defending kept Australia from mounting a comeback. Aline hit the woodwork, and attempts from Dudinha, Luany, and Yaya narrowly missed, preventing a larger win for Brazil.
The Group A standings reflect a tight race at the top. Both Spain and Brazil have two wins from two matches, each with four points and strong goal differences. Australia sits on three points after a win and a draw, while Costa Rica remains without a point after two games and must regroup ahead of their final group matchup.
Group A Classification
Team PJ PG PE PP GF GC PTS
Spain 2 1 1 0 5 0 4
Brazil 2 1 1 0 2 0 4
Australia 2 1 0 1 3 3 3
Costa Rica 2 0 0 2 1 8 0