Spain wins their first Women's World Cup after defeating England 1-0.
Olga Carmona's first-half goal was enough to seal Spain's first Women's World Cup title on Sunday (20 August) with a 1-0 victory over England.
Spain won their first Women's World Cup title on Sunday (20 August) with a 1-0 victory over England in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final in Sydney.
Jennifer Hermoso's penalty was saved by Mary Earps, but Olga Carmona's first-half goal was enough for La Roja to become global champions for the first time in history.
The victory caps up a historic FIFA Women's World Cup campaign for Spain, which had previously failed to go past the Round of 16. Making it to the final after knockout victories over Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden was already a first for Spain, and success in the final was cause for even more joy.
Despite Spain's domination, the 2022 European Champions created an early chance, which was possibly their finest of the 90 minutes, but the ball struck the crossbar.
The squandered opportunity hit England dearly as they battled to break down Spain's possession-heavy tactics, while La Roja intimidated in response.
England's goalkeeper Mary Earps did well to keep her team in the game in the 17th minute, pulling off another spectacular save. But it was all in vain, as Olga Carmona scored on the half-hour mark with a tremendous strike.
At halftime, England made two much-needed substitutions, bringing in Lauren James and Chloe Kelly in place of Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly. Despite their offensive prowess, both players struggled to make an impression against a formidable Spanish defense.
Keira Walsh's handball in the 65th minute gave La Roja another scoring opportunity in the form of a penalty. Hermoso moved up, but Earps denied the shot yet again, saving her country.
The rescue gave England fresh life, and James and Kelly worked hard to make something unique for the Lionesses. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to break through Spain's defense.
Spain's confidence and composure on the ball finally earned them the final, and their performance appeared a world away from their 4-0 loss to Japan earlier in the competition in the group stage.
The Spanish players exemplified togetherness by banding together when it counted most to achieve history for their country.
