Match ends, Spain 3, South Africa 1.
Women's World Cup: Spain Women 3-1 South Africa Women
- From the section Women's Football
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Jennifer Hermoso scored two penalties as Spain came from behind to beat World Cup debutants South Africa, who were reduced to 10 players.
Atletico Madrid's Hermoso converted both spot-kicks in the second half, awarded after a handball and Nothando Vilakazi's late challenge, for which she received a second yellow card.
Spain were the better side and Lucia Garcia added a cool third late on.
Thembi Kgatlana had given South Africa a shock lead with a chipped finish.
Kgatlana should have put South Africa 2-0 ahead but her tame effort at the far post was pushed away by Spain goalkeeper Sandra Panos.
The result means they are now without a victory in any of their last 12 games and are bottom of Group B.
Spain are top courtesy of better goal difference than two-time winners Germany, who edged past China 1-0 in their opening game.
Jorge Vilda's side claimed their first victory at the tournament, having failed to win any of their games at the 2015 event, but it did not go to plan early on after Kgatlana's surprise strike in the first half.
The Spaniards regathered themselves in the second period, Garcia looping a shot against the crossbar, Maria Leon curling a free-kick narrowly over and Marta Corredera seeing a scooped shot pushed away by Andile Dlamini.
But Hermoso did manage to keep her cool from the penalty spot, before Garcia went round Dlamini to slot in with a minute remaining.
Hermoso spot on - the stats
- Jennifer Hermoso is the first player to score twice from the penalty spot in a Women's World Cup match.
- Spain's three goals were the first they have ever scored in the second half of a World Cup match.
- South Africa's Nothando Vilakazi received the first red card of the tournament.
- South Africa failed to manage any attempt on or off target after the 57th minute.
- Thembi Kgatlana put South Africa ahead with their first attempt on target at a World Cup.
- Spain had the most attempts (25) and most on target (12) of any side in the opening 3 games of this World Cup and their possession of 72% was also the highest.
- Cameroon remain the only African side to have won their debut game at the World Cup, that win at the 2015 tournament.
Line-ups
Spain Women
- 13Paños
- 8Torrejón
- 4Paredes
- 16León
- 7CorrederaBooked at 90mins
- 11PutellasSubstituted forGarcíaat 73'minutes
- 14Torrecilla
- 6LosadaSubstituted forBonmatíat 45'minutes
- 19SampedroSubstituted forGarcíaat 45'minutes
- 10Hermoso
- 9Caldentey
Substitutes
- 1Gallardo
- 2Jiménez
- 3Ouahabi
- 5Andrés Sanz
- 12Guijarro
- 15Meseguer
- 17García
- 18Bonmatí
- 20Pereira
- 21Falcón
- 22García
- 23Quiñones
South Africa Women
- 16Dlamini
- 2Ramalepe
- 5van WykBooked at 69mins
- 4Matlou
- 3VilakaziBooked at 82mins
- 9MthandiSubstituted forSeoposenweat 56'minutes
- 19BiyanaBooked at 77mins
- 15Jane
- 10MotlhaloSubstituted forNdimeniat 52'minutes
- 8FulutudiluSubstituted forSmedaat 77'minutes
- 11Kgatlana
Substitutes
- 1Mpuru
- 6Makhabane
- 7Dhlamini
- 12Seoposenwe
- 13Mbane
- 14Makhubela
- 17Smeda
- 18Gamede
- 20Swart
- 21Ndimeni
- 22Mulaudzi
- 23Holweni
- Referee:
- María Carvajal
- Attendance:
- 12,044
Match Stats
Home TeamSpain WomenAway TeamSouth Africa Women
- Possession
- Home73%
- Away27%
- Shots
- Home27
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home12
- Away2
- Corners
- Home5
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away13
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Spain 3, South Africa 1.
Attempt blocked. Leandra Smeda (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Marta Corredera (Spain) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Marta Corredera (Spain).
Jermaine Seoposenwe (South Africa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt saved. Nahikari García (Spain) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Mariona with a cross.
Corner, Spain. Conceded by Jermaine Seoposenwe.
Attempt blocked. Lucía García (Spain) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jenni Hermoso.
Goal!
Goal! Spain 3, South Africa 1. Lucía García (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Virginia Torrecilla with a through ball.
Attempt missed. Irene Paredes (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Marta Torrejón with a headed pass following a corner.
Corner, Spain. Conceded by Refiloe Jane.
Foul by Marta Corredera (Spain).
Jermaine Seoposenwe (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Spain 2, South Africa 1. Jenni Hermoso (Spain) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Nothando Vilakazi (South Africa) for a bad foul.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match (Spain). VAR checking.
VAR: Penalty Kick. Referee decision on field cancelled.
Penalty Spain. Lucía García draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Nothando Vilakazi (South Africa) after a foul in the penalty area.
Offside, Spain. Nahikari García tries a through ball, but Lucía García is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, South Africa. Leandra Smeda replaces Ode Fulutudilu.
Booking
Kholosa Biyana (South Africa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Lucía García (Spain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Kholosa Biyana (South Africa).
Foul by Lucía García (Spain).
Nothando Vilakazi (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Virginia Torrecilla (Spain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Ode Fulutudilu (South Africa).
Foul by Jenni Hermoso (Spain).
Kholosa Biyana (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Lucía García (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nothando Vilakazi (South Africa).
Offside, Spain. Marta Corredera tries a through ball, but Virginia Torrecilla is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Spain. Nahikari García replaces Alexia Putellas.
Attempt blocked. Mariona (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lucía García.
Goal!
Goal! Spain 1, South Africa 1. Jenni Hermoso (Spain) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Booking
Janine van Wyk (South Africa) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Penalty conceded by Janine van Wyk (South Africa) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
