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Spain put five past Switzerland to reach last eight
Spain reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time after producing an outstanding display of firepower in Auckland to send Switzerland out.
La Roja were beaten 4-0 in their final group game by Japan five days earlier in Wellington but bounced back in style to score four times during a dominant first half showing in front of 43,217 – a record crowd for a football match in New Zealand.
Aitana Bonmati swept the Spanish ahead before Switzerland equalised when Laia Codina, without looking up, hit a back pass past her own keeper and into the net from 10 yards inside her own half. Spain soon restored their lead through Alba Redondo’s header before Barcelona midfielder Bonmati produced a classy finish to make it 3-1. In an incredible opening half, Codina made up for her own goal by adding Spain’s fourth after a scramble inside the box. They added another after half-time through Jennifer Hermoso’s clinical finish – her third goal of this tournament.
Jorge Vilda’s side are the first to reach the last eight and will play the winners of Sunday’s match between the Netherlands and South Africa in the quarter-finals in Wellington next Friday (02:00 BST).
(BBC)