Hosts England Women advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 after they beat Spain Women in the extra-time of the quarter-finals. The Spain camp is feeling frustrated as their captain claimed that the hosts’ first goal should be disallowed due to a foul.
Last Wednesday (20th July) night, England were under pressure in the quarter-final against Spain. English Ellen White’s goal in the 37th minute was correctly ruled out offside, while Spain ultimately got the lead of the match after Esther Gonzalez had a successful finish in the ninth minute of the second half.
The hosts were under pressure until the 22-year-old Ella Toone successfully netted to level the scoreline in the 84th minute. The scoreline remained 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes.
In the sixth minute of the extra-time, Georgia Stanway made the scoreline 2-1 for the English team with a stunning goal after taking a brilliant shot just outside the box. Their opposition failed to make a comeback in that extra time as the hosts won that quarter-final by 2-1.
Spanish captain Irene Paredes: A clear foul
Spanish captain Irene Paredes left unsatisfied with the referring during that game. She strongly believes that England’s first goal of that game, which was also the equaliser goal of that match, shouldn’t be counted due to a foul from the English team.
Spanish captain Irene Paredes left unsatisfied with the referring during that game. She strongly believes that England’s first goal of that game, which was also the equaliser goal of that match, shouldn’t be counted due to a foul from the English team.
During a cross, the English substitute forward Alessia Russo had a tussle with the centre-back Paredes, and the Spanish skipper fell to the ground in that battle. While Russo was successful to provide a headed pass, Toone finished that in the best way.
Paredes accused the referee Stephanie Frappart of favouring the hosts during that 84th-minute goal as she believed that it was a clear foul that the VAR could detect.
Talking about that incident, Paredes said after the game, “I can’t jump because she (Russo) hits me with her elbow on the neck, a clear foul that she (Frappart) doesn’t want to whistle or review, and that decides the match.”
Fuming Paredes then commented, “We have been good, but they score a goal that they do not want to review because you are in England. It is complicated. Then they score a great goal, and the game ends with a corner in our favour.
“It is true that we have had more chances, and we have not put them away. But there are details that diminish you, despite the fact that we have played a great game.
“We have equipment [VAR] for this and much more, but once again we are out. It’s very hard when the team can go further. Leaving in the quarter-finals is hard.”
England Women’s semi-final opponents
In the semi-finals of this tournament, the two-time UEFA Women’s Championship runners-up England Women will face the winners between Sweden Women and Belgium Women on 26th July. The third quarter-final match of this competition, Sweden vs Belgium, has been scheduled on this Friday (22nd July).
