Spain vs Netherlands, live online: extra time, score, stats & updates | Women’s World Cup

Spain: how they got here

La Roja have had a largely positive World Cup campaign so far, with wins against Costa Rica and Zambia, despite not being goal-filled, were dominant and assured.

Japan, their other group opponents, had also impressed, but a 0-4 thrashing by the Asian side was the least expected result of all and one which signalled for alarm bells to ring and lights to flash as Spain realised that progression in the World Cup could not happen with even one inch of room given up for the feeling of complacency.

Japan placed explosives where they needed to and tore Spain to shreds, ruthlessly ripping into their defensive unit time and time again as the counter attacks felt endless.

Spain ended up second in the group and faced Switzerland in the next round.

Here, they found their goalscoring touch and swept away the European side 5-1, with a heavily changed team from the one that got bullied by Japan in the group stage.

They come into the game now with a renewed sense of confidence and, perhaps most importantly, the awareness that anything can happen and they must be prepared.