Perhaps Selma Baralelo would not have chosen football. It certainly wasn’t her only option. Paraluelo, the 19-year-old Spanish forward, was a great prospect in track and field, too, a runner so talented that she probably represented her country at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago. Her chosen discipline was the 400 metres. She still holds the national under-20 distance record.
It also turns out that she is just the person her country needs at the end of the marathon.
Spain’s meeting with the Netherlands on Friday in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup was always likely to be close. As Spain’s narrow 2-1 win proved, the close might have been an understatement. There is hardly room between these teams: Spain, European powerhouses to come, and the Dutch, famous for their talent but noteworthy for their flexibility.
Four years ago, this combination was enough to take the Netherlands to the World Cup final against the United States. This year, it’s starting to look as if a repeat flight might be on the cards. Andres Juncker’s side progressed from the group stage in style more impressive than amazing. It ended, most importantly, before the United States. Thanks to the reflexes and focus of his country’s goalkeeper, Daphne van Doumselaar, they beat South Africa in the Round of 16.
The Netherlands may have been missing their latest punch – star striker Vivian Miedema is one of many players to miss the World Cup with a serious knee injury – but have found a way to make up for it by undermining others. The team’s confidence was growing enough that forward Lenneth Berenstein could even stand a few blows on Team USA when she met with reporters before the game. There’s been a lot of talk coming from the Americans, who lost to Sweden in the Round of 16, Berensten said. “You have to do it on the field,” she said.
For a while, it seemed like she was going to be good at her word. In Wellington’s Winter Sunshine New Zealand dominated Spain, because Spain always dominates possession. Spain created chances too because Spain always creates chances.
But she could not breach the Dutch. Whenever working their way through the massed lines of defence, Spain found van Doumselaar as indomitable as ever, fending off whatever they could muster.
And when Van Doumselaar was beaten, Spain found that the physical infrastructure of the stadium was picking sides: halfway through the first half, Alba Redondo hit the post twice in a matter of seconds. A few minutes later, Esther González had a goal ruled out for offside, despite referee Stephanie Frappart consulting a video replay.
It was that kind of game: a game with minor differences and what-ifs. For Spain – what if Redondo scores, or if Frappart notices that Stephanie van der Graagt has touched the ball in the scramble to clear it; Or if Gonzalez delayed her running for a split second? But, more than anything else, it was for the Netherlands.
What if Berenstein’s penalty had not been canceled due to what appeared to be an apparent push from Spain defender Irene Paredes? The Netherlands may have led, rather than find themselves, barely a heartbeat later, late after Mariona Caldente converted the only three-point penalty that should or could have been awarded.
And what if Berenstein scored any of the three clear chances that fell her way as the game entered its dying embers? The Dutch had at least cut the game short, van der Graagt having her conscience at ease after her handball unceremoniously led to Caldente’s penalty. Dig home the equalizer As the match approaches injury time.
Berenstein could have won it twice and might have kept the Dutch in the championship, but she couldn’t take any chances.
Paralluelo was more efficient. Collecting the ball from Jenny Hermoso, she flicked her hip and dropped her shoulder and stormed into the Dutch box, moving too quickly and too easily for the tense Dutch defence. She established herself and swept a low shot and left shot past Van Doumselaar.
Holland race is running. Spain may be picking up speed.
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