Spain beat England, 1-0, in Sunday’s finale, in Game 64 of a wildly successful World Cup that highlighted the sport’s evolution. It has become a more technical, tactical game. And no team has shaped that game, or driven the evolution, more than Spain, whose new-age prowess was on full display at Stadium Australia.
The Spaniards weathered England’s direct attacks from Minute 1 to Minute 104. They began picking apart the English press with rondos and poise and well-timed runs. They played out of their defensive third, from back to front, in the 13th minute. They released left back Olga Carmona in the 17th minute with another tidy attacking move, and Carmona’s cross should have been finished by either of two attackers, but wasn’t.
Twelve minutes after that, Carmona took matters into her own hands, fizzing a shot into the far side netting.