Spain will face England in the semifinals of the U-17 World Cup It is disputed in the Dominican Republic. The duel, which will take place in the early hours of Wednesday to Thursday (1.00 Spanish time), will come next Our victory over Ecuador (5-0) And The Lionesses To Japan in a penalty shootout (2-2, 4-1).
England swam against the current against Japan until they managed to reach the shore first. The Nadeshiko They were ahead on the scoreboard even twice with goals Yuna Aoki (23′) (E) Hina Hirakawa (29′), but the English women tied the competition with scores Erica Parkinson (27′) and Zara Shaw (72′). At the 99th minute, the European coach, Natalie Henderson, He gave the surprise by changing the goalkeeper, just before the penalty shootout. Rebekah Doucet He took over from Hope McSheffrey And she barely got into the match before the final denouement came. “I touched the ball once, I think, and kicked it, but honestly, I was confident to get in,”the star told FIFA.
Two stops in the penalty shootout
The players of the U-17 national team celebrate the passage to the semifinals
The Leicester City goalkeeper was the Big Hero of the night Stopping the first pitch of Japan-Tamami Aso-with a trip to his left and calming the third-Momoka Honda- Zara Xu, who has already scored the equalizer, even put the finishing touch to the duel and closed the passport to the semifinals. “I think, fortunately, the free kick is one of my biggest virtues,”Doucet said. “I was glad that the team trusted me and the coaching staff trusted that I would come and be able to do a good job for the team,”he stressed.
Rebekah was honored by her colleagues at the end of the engagement and they were full of praise for her. “It was great. Great. Bex is an amazing goalkeeper. That’s why we put it in the goal of penalties. I think it shows the depth of our team and that everyone plays a role. And I think that’s a really cool thing, ” said Erica Parkinson. “I’m very proud of her. This is the moment she was waiting for, waiting on the sidelines. We have two goalkeepers who have their strengths and both showed that tonight, ” she decided Leila Harbert.
Favorable precedents for Spain
The U-17 women’s football team celebrates the European Championship won in 2024
The duel between Spain and England, which They didn’t see each other’s faces at the U-17 World Cup, It will be a reissue The final match of the European Championship of the category was played in May and was resolved in favor of Spain with a score of 4-0 With Double From Celia Segura, To some extent Alba Cerato A special purpose of Rachel Maltby.
England are playing in their third Under-17 World Cup finals, placing fourth in their first participation (2008) and being relegated in the quarter-finals in their last (2016). For Spain, this is the sixth participation , being the champion in the last two editions (2018, 2022), Qualifying for the final on one occasion (2014) and third place on two other occasions (2010, 2016).
