Steady Spain advance with Paraguay win in women under 20 FIFA World Cup

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Bartel the conductor, Amezaga the finisher as Spain’s pass-and-move perfection proves too much for Paraguay at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

  • Spain the latest nation to reach the knockout stage

  • First-half brace from Jone Amezaga settled things

  • Paraguay's fate to be decided in final day USA clash

Group C | Estadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali

Goals: Jone Amezaga (20, 37) Player of the Match: Sara Ortega (Spain)

Spain turned in a second impressive display to cruise into the knockout phase of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ as they out-passed, out-moved and largely out-played Paraguay in victory in Cali.

In a team dripping with technical quality, the diminutive Julia Bartel is the chronometer-in-chief, and it was her pinpoint cross that found the head of Jone Amezaga to put Spain in front on 20 minutes; the No9 doing what all the good ones do as a marriage of weight and direction had the ball nestling into the top corner of the Paraguay goal.

Amezaga’s second owed plenty to a defence-splitter of the highest order from centre-back Silvia Lloris that released Lucia Corrales, who, in turn, squared for Amezaga, who couldn’t – and wouldn’t – miss from close range.

The cushioning lead saw coach Sonia Bermudez make a triple change at the break and that saw the rhythm dip slightly, with Paraguayan starlet Fatima Acosta probing and cajoling and almost getting a goal back as she fizzed an effort narrowly over the bar just shy of the hour.

Indeed it was Paraguay that created the better of the late chances, firstly substitute Claudia Martinez almost squeezing home from an impossibly tight angle before a long-range Danna Garcete effort rippled the side-netting. Ultimately Spain had done enough though and they progress, Paraguay’s hopes now going down to their final group match against USA.

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