Women's World Cup: Salma Paralluelo’s strike sees Spain dump out the Netherlands - 'It means everything'

Salma Paralluelo’s dramatic extra-time winner ensured Spain advanced to the Women’s World Cup semi-finals for the first time with a 2-1 quarter-final victory over the Netherlands.

After a dramatic match in Wellington, Jorge Vilda’s side will now face the winners of the tie between Japan and Sweden in the last four.

La Roja started the brighter of the two teams and hit the woodwork twice in quick succession, when Alba Redonda’s header was pushed onto the post by Daphne van Domselaar, before her strike on the rebound also hit the goal frame.

Dutch blushes were then spared by the VAR after Esther Gonzalez’s fierce strike was ruled out for offside following a review.

After riding their luck in the first half, Andries Jonker’s side thought they had a chance to break the deadlock when Lineth Beerensteyn was brought down in the box by Irene Paredes.

Referee Stephanie Frappert awarded a penalty, but the decision was overruled thanks to the VAR, and served as a wake-up call to Spain.

A spot-kick was then awarded to Spain after Paralluelo's delivery hit Stefanie Van der Gragt's hand and Mariona Caldentey coolly converted from 12 yards in the 81st minute.

But the Dutch responded in stoppage time through Van de Gragt, who fired the ball home after breaking clear.

Jonker’s team were left to rue further missed chances in extra time, as Beerensteyn saw two chances to net a winner go begging.

Teenager Paralluelo then took centre stage and fired in an unstoppable strike with 111 minutes on the clock to book a place in the last four.

Speaking after the game, she said: "It means everything to me. It was a unique moment, great euphoria to have lived through it and I'm extremely happy."

Head coach Vilda was also overjoyed by the result and sounded a warning to Spain’s rivals ahead of their semi-final next Tuesday.

"We've always dreamed of something like this, but we're not stopping here," he added.

"We've reached somewhere we've never reached before.

"It was a match with a lot of emotions, VAR decisions. And the goal from Salma -- it was sheer joy."

In contrast, there was bitter disappointment for the Netherlands, with Jonkier expressing his frustration with the use of VAR throughout the match.

However, he gave a magnanimous verdict on the game as a whole and admitted to having few complaints about the result itself.

"VAR did not do its work properly, but Spain deserved to win," he explained.

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