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Spain v Finland: Women’s Euro 2022 – live! | Women’s Euro 2022

Spain v Finland: Women’s Euro 2022 – live! | Women’s Euro 2022

Contents

Key events:

Andrew has got in touch via email to join in on our language chat.

He has blown my mind with the amount of words Spain have for ‘the ball’. He said: “The ball can be “el esférico” (the spherical object), “el balón” (the ball), “el cuero” (the leather object), or “la pelota” (the ball, again).”

And Anna has said: “You wanted to know what the Finnish word for a corner was? Kulma is the answer and now that I think about it, it also sounds very cornery with those consonants.

“Been very proud of our Helmarit whose nickname comes from the Finnish helmipöllö (Boreal Owl). Those runs from Sällström look very dangerous, let’s see what happens next half!”

Half-time: Spain 2-1 Finland

More shots came in during the one minute added but Spain head into the break 2-1 up.

Sallstrom made some Spanish fans sweat in the first minute but they have come romping back to go ahead.

Can they hold onto this? We will shortly find out.

45 min: Well what do Finland do here? They had a perfect start but Spain are building here which is scary because they look flawless and they have more gears to go through!

We have our answer for what corner is in Finnish!

Marja has got in touch and said it is kulma.

43 min: Bonmati was in a great position in the box, making a late run, and heads home.

Korpela just watched it drift into goal.

The star immediately ran over to celebrate with Putellas, who hobbles back to her seat.

GOAL! Spain 2-1 Finland (Bonmati, 41)

Wow, oh wow! What a way to fight back!

39 min: Spain are still pressing for a second goal here, they are keen to be ahead before half-time.

Another corner comes in but Gonzalez hits it out of play.

The half-time talks for both teams would be so interesting to listen into.

36 min: Finland have a great spell of ball but Spain’s defence are wise to their play now, though a little too open. Finland are getting a lot of space up front.

Spain are dealing with the threats and the counter-attacks are lethal. Guerrero makes a great shot but Korpela does well to save. Cracking battle so far!

33 min: Sallstrom has been a bright star for Finland! A great opening goal and she is constantly being hounded by Spain’s defence after they were caught napping.

Spain continue to batter the Finland defence so I thought it would be fitting to add in another reader comment.

Paulo has emailed and said: “If you want to sprinkle some Spanish into your commentary then you should know that the Spanish for corner is “corner”.

“Not sure what it is in Finnish.”

Any Finland fans want to get in touch and let me know?

30 min: Spain are just so good aren’t they? Their passing is slick and accurate and after that early goal they have settled into this.

Putellas is watching on here.

27 min: I think Spain have had 10 corners and the Finnish defence finally crumbles. Paredes came storming into the box and whacks a header home!

Will Finland be able to hold onto the draw, or reclaim the lead? The far more likely outcome is Spain are going to find yet another gear here.

GOAL! Spain 1-1 Finland (Paredas, 26)

We all knew it was coming, just took a bit of time! And many, many corners.

Spain’s Irene Paredes celebrates scoring their equaliser.
Irene Paredes celebrates getting Spain back on level terms. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

24 min: Spain continue to batter the Finnish defence but still they frustrate Jorge Vilda’s side.

Korpela scooped up the last attempt and Finland need to get some possession going to take a hold of this match.

22 min: Caldentey pulls the trigger on another ball into the box and wins yet another corner. The Finnish defence head away for another set-piece and this time Spain take it short.

Batlle feeds Bonmati but her shot is block, yep another corner!

Spain think they have a goal here but it’s been pulled back as the ball went out of play! Another corner to come but it goes out of play.

You can come out from behind the sofa now Finnish fans, well for now

19 min: I think there are more Finnish fans in Milton Keynes because any decision going against their team at the moment is met with a barrage of boos.

Spain come forward again but Pikkujamsa blocks a shot but concedes a corner. The ball is drilled in but Korpela punches away, it comes back in but the keeper deals with it again.

Spain are shifting into another gear here, can Finland’s defence keep up?

16 min: Gonzalez has a great shot, bending the ball but Korpela reads it well to save. The goalkeeper is being made to work in these early stages.

Finland may have a formation of two forwards but Sallstrom is doing the work of two! She screams for the ball and is almost in once again. The pass to her has too much on it and it results in a goal kick.

Boos then ring around the stadium as the ref does not give a free kick after Sallstrom is chopped down.

13 min: Spain’s attack seems slightly desperate at the moment, they need to maybe make one or two more passes and then strike.

And they need to stop napping at the back! a fabulous pass came in which caught the defenders sleeping and Engmen almost replicates Sallstrom’s goal! This is going to be an absolute cracker.

A fun fact, the goal is only the second ever scored in the first minute of a women’s Euros. Not bad for the underdogs.

10 min: Finland’s defence so far has been good but the question will be if they can keep this up over 90 minutes.

They will be thrilled to be going ahead and it would fantastic for them if they can come away with at least a point!

Peter has emailed and cracked me up with a great pun, writing: “Wow, what a Finnish!”

8 min: Sallstrom was fed the ball once again from the set-piece but this time she misses the target.

After a long build-up play Spain’s Caldentey gets a long range shot away but Korpela saves well. They just keep coming though, striving to cancel out that early goal but so far there is no way through.

6 min: Spain are trying to come back with a vengeance as they win another corner.

The ball pinballed around the box but it was cleared, it came back in but grazed the front of goal. Paredas is then lucky to not get a yellow for a foul as she concedes a free kick.

Charles has sent me an email and said: “Good to see two international teams wearing their classic strips. Finland looking especially smart.

“You do have to wonder about the various arbitrary designs and colours that England have to put up with – the orange third strip only the most recent and egregious.”

What do you think of his comments? Let me know by email or Twitter.

4 min: Westerlund concedes a corner with a great block on Bonmati.

The ball was taken short but Gonzalez’ shot sails out of play. I am still reeling from that shock start, the Finnish fans in the stadium must be going bonkers!

2 min: What a start for the underdogs.

A great ball was sent through to Sallstrom who got the better of Panos to slot it in the bottom left corner.

I honestly cannot believe it! My hands went on my head with my mouth wide open! Wow.

Linda Sallstrom of Finland scores the opening goal.
Linda Sallstrom slots the ball home to give Finland a very early lead. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Finland’s Linda Sallstrom celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates.
Sallstrom is congratulated by her team-maes. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

GOAL! Spain 0-1 Finland (Sallstrom, 1′)

How about this! My mouth is wide open

Kick-off! Spain 0-0 Finland

Here we go!

Will Spain live up to the favourites tag or will Finland cause an upset?

Here come the anthems!

The fans are raring to go here, the roar when the player came out and the anthems sand out loudly.

They are ready to go, are you?

Kári has got in touch via email and said: “As I’m currently self-isolating with Covid, I’m not enjoying any days outside right now, sunny or otherwise.

“But I’m getting my vicarious thrills from seeing videos online of Finnish fans marching to the stadium.”

I hope you’re okay and get well soon! It’s great you have all the Euros coverage to watch while you isolate.

And yes those videos are amazing, the travelling fans have come in their waves!

Spain v Finland is not the only Euro 2022 match on today. Once the two battle it out in Group B the other two teams in the group go head-to-head.

Germany take on Denmark and both teams can be dark horses in the competition. They aren’t among those listed as favourites but they are both capable of taking the crown.

The tournament is well and truly underway and it’s difficult to contain my excitement!

Kick-off in the first fixture just 10 minutes away!

Finland are not going to underestimate Spain just because they have lost their star goalscorer, Alexia Putellas.

Barcelona’s Putellas is out with an ACL injury but Finnish goalkeeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela says they are approaching the game exactly the same.

“I feel sorry for Alexia Putellas – it must be hard to get injured on the eve of the tournament. However, Spain will find a replacement for her and her injury does not change our preparations in any way.”

There has been more crushing injury news revealed today as Northern Ireland’s Simone Magill has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a knee injury.

She picked up the problem in her team’s 4-1 defeat to Norway last night. I was at St Mary’s Stadium and it was heartbreaking to see her limping off in tears.

Speedy recovery Simone!

UEFA Women’s Euro 2022: injury update

— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) July 8, 2022

A fun fact from the tournament so far…

66% of the goals at #WEURO2022 have been scored by Arsenal players….

— Tim Stillman (@Stillberto) July 7, 2022

I was going to say it is perfect weather for a football match but when I went out for a coffee earlier it was baking!

It is around 27 degrees in Milton Keynes, where the match is being played, so the players are in for a hot one!

Let me know how you have spent this sunny day and how you are finding Euro 2022 so far. You can reach me on Twitter, @rendellx, or email me.

The team news is in and both sides have named strong teams.

Spain have Manchester United’s Ona Batlle in the starting line-up and she will begin alongside Manchester City’s summer signing Leila Ouahabi.

Spain starting XI: Panos; Batlle, Paredes, Leon, Ouahabi; Guijarro, Bonmati, Guerrero; Garcia, Gonzalez, Caldentey.

Finland, meanwhile, have a good tactical shape in a bid to thwart Spain’s attack. They have a 4, 4, 2 with Linda Sällström and Sanni Franssi the only two upfront.

Finland starting XI: Korpela; Hyyrynen, Westerlund, Pikkujamsa, Koivisto; Engman, Alanen, Summanen, Oling; Sällström, Franssi.

Ona Batlle posing for her Euros shoot
Photograph: Michael Regan/UEFA/Getty Images

Preamble

Spain and Finland get their Euro 2022 campaigns underway as they face one another at 5pm BST this evening.

Spain are among the favourites to win the tournament but their odds have fallen after they lost two of their stars. Jennifer Hermoso and Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas have been ruled out due to knee injuries.

Putellas was heartbroken to have to withdraw from the squad just a day before it kicked off and it is a huge blow to Spain’s bid. But player Irene Paredes said despite the setback the team are raring to go.

“When they face adversity, all humans seek to overcome. We’re a resilient team and know what we have to do: play football,” Paredes said.

“Maybe more things have happened than normal but there are 23 of us, the moment has come and we’re ready, raring to go.”

Spain are the hot favourites to take the win over Finland but the opposition say they are ready for the challenge they will face.

Finland midfielder Emmi Alanen said: “We have studied Spain and how they play, both in defence and attack. They are very skilful individually and like to keep the ball a lot. We will face a tough challenge but we are ready for it.”

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