Spain's late match heroics sends squad to Women's World Cup final

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Spain’s women’s national soccer team advanced to the Women’s World Cup final on Tuesday for the first time in its history with a narrow 2-1 victory over Sweden.

Each of the three total goals scored came in the second half in what was a nail-biter.

Spain’s Salma Paralluelo scored in the 81st minute. Paralleulo was the right place at the right time. She took a chance on a bouncing ball near the box and snuck it past Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic to put her squad up 1-0.

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Spain's Olga Carmona is held aloft by a teammate after defeating Sweden in the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga)

"It was a magic moment. It is something very unique when I scored the first goal. To be able to repeat is really incredible," Paraluello said.

About seven minutes later, Sweden got the equalizer.

A cross into the box set Rebecka Blomqvist up with nobody around her. She got her shot past Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll to tie the match up. Sweden was jubilant, but not for long.

One minute after the Blomqvist score, Olga Carmona became the hero. Carmona fired a shot from the top of the box with her left foot and somehow got it past Musovic.

"It was really, really, really crazy," Spain defender Irene Paredes said after the match. "After scoring the first one it was like, ‘OK, this is the end, we have to keep this score.’ But they scored quite fast and I was like, `What the hell happened?' But we had confidence that we could create something else."

Spain's Jennifer Hermoso celebrates after their win in the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between Sweden and Spain at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Carmona’s score proved to be the game-winner to send Spain to the final.

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"This is a historic day," Spain coach Jorge Vilda said. "We’re in the final, that’s what we wanted."

Spain will play the winner between Australia and England in the final on Sunday.

Sweden will head to the third-place match where they will play the Australia-England loser. They have now lost in four of the last five semifinals.

Sweden's Fridolina Rolfo attempts to kick the ball clear of Spain's Teresa Abelleira, right, during the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between Sweden and Spain at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga)

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"I have to watch the game, I really do, before I can make any assessments," Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson said. "Right now I am full of emotions. It is the third loss in the semifinals. I think everyone just feels sadness and huge disappointment."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.