Switzerland 1-5 Spain: Aitana Bonmati scores a brace as Jorge Vilda’s side cruise rampant to the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup
- Spain defeated Switzerland to reach the last eight of the Women’s World Cup
- Aitana Bonmati opened the scoring and would score a second goal
- Alba Redondo, Laia Codina and Jennifer Hermoso also came on the scoresheet
Aitana Bonmati scored twice as Spain beat Switzerland 5-1 on Saturday to reach the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time.
Spain reacted emphatically to the 4–0 defeat to Japan in their group stage final in an outburst against the Swiss in Auckland.
Alba Redondo, Laia Codina and Jennifer Hermoso also scored in the win at Eden Park. Codina showed much relief by scoring from close range after an own goal in the first half.
Spain coach Jorge Vilda made some big calls after his team was routed by Japan.
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexis Putellas remained on the bench and goalkeeper Cata Coll was chosen for her full international debut. They were one of five changes to his starting line-up, which paid off as his team put in a dominant performance.
Aitana Bonmati scored a brace to help Spain to a 5-1 victory over Switzerland
It was a comfortable victory for Spain, which is now in the quarter-finals of the World Cup
Laia Codina celebrates with her teammates after putting Spain 3-1 up, after throwing the ball into her own net earlier in the game to level Switzerland after Bonmati’s opener
Switzerland were one of only three teams not to conced a goal in the group stage, but trailed 4–1 at half-time.
Bonmati scored her first goal in the fifth minute after Swiss goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann pushed Alba Redondo’s attempt against the post. The Swiss couldn’t clear the ball and Bonmati collected it, turned sharply into the penalty area and shot low into the corner.
Switzerland were gifted the equalizer in the 11th via Codina’s own goal. The defenseman picked it up just inside her own half, but without looking she turned and swept a skipped backpass past Coll, which was slid out of her goal.
Spain took the lead again in the 17th minute when Redondo headed a bouncing ball low into the corner. It was her third goal of the tournament.
Spain continued to look for more goals and Bonmati scored her second in the 36th as she showed quick footwork to clear space in the box before putting a shot into the corner.
Just before the break it was 4-1 when Codina made up for her earlier mistake by bouncing the ball over the line from a corner.
Alba Redondo (pictured) and Jennifer Hermoso also entered the scoresheet for Spain
Jorge Vilda’s team will play against the winners of the Netherlands against South Africa in the last eight
Meriame Terchoun, one of Switzerland’s three half-time substitutes, forced a save from Coll from close range after the break. It was her team’s only attempt to shoot on target for the entire game.
Switzerland’s all-time top goalscorer Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic had just one shot on target in group play and failed to fire a shot against Spain.
Hermoso scored fifth for Spain in the 70th, scoring her third of the tournament.