On Saturday, the senior men's team debuted its second star at Wembley and, just 24 hours later, the women's under-20 team also became two-time world champions. They did it against North Korea, the current champions of the category, in a final that was decided on penalties after Spain dominated the match for a good part of the 120 minutes. Laia López, Real Madrid's goalkeeper, appeared there to become the main protagonist by stopping two shots. Once again, Spain is world champion. Once again, a group undefeated in the championship and united in the locker room.
The first minutes fell on the Spanish side. Without a doubt, David Aznar's players came out to dominate the North Koreans, making Pau Comendador run down the right wing, where the team did a lot of damage, but without being able to open the scoring in the first 45 minutes. The first big chance came in the 14th minute, when Noe filtered a pass through the defense for Alba Cerrato, but the Córdoba forward ran into the North Korean goalkeeper, who closed spaces quickly and blocked the shot.
Spain came out well, finishing the plays and with one point physically ahead of the North Koreans, although the finals are very long and efforts had to be rationed. Against the reigning champions no less, Aznar's team worked well with and without the ball, pressing and leaving few spaces, although the quality of the Koreans was appreciable.
So much so that any mistake could mean disaster, and it could have happened at the most painful moment, before the break. It was after a mess between Silvia and Laia López. The North Korean forward took advantage of the Spanish mistake and attempted the shot, but a providential hand, one of those that saves a World Cup - like Casillas against Robben - stopped the goal that could have opened the scoring in the 43rd minute.
Spain returned to the field with determination, hunger and the desire to be the first to score. They were able to do so as soon as the match resumed, but Alba Cerrato did not see, or did not want to see, Pau Comendador, who was alone at the penalty spot. Perhaps Spain was missing an individual action, a star that would provide depth, because, although they had the ball and created chances, games are won with goals. Korea was close to causing a scare after a set-piece action and, right after, Rosalía was even closer to giving us joy, but she forgave again. Pau tried it, Spain tried it and, above all, Pak Ju, the North Korean goalkeeper, avoided it.
The inevitable was the extension. That extra time allowed Spain to lose finesse and North Korea to take a step forward. The important thing was not to make a mistake, because in those moments rushing means dying. Marisa had the goal, the game, the victory before the second half of extra time, one-on-one with the rival goalkeeper, but, as had happened throughout the game, Española made a mistake in the one-on-one situation.
Everything had to be decided in the penalty shootout, in those seconds that become eternal and in which individual actions become the only possible asset. It was Laia, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, the protagonist. She stopped the North Koreans' second and last shot and unleashed tears of joy from her teammates and tears of sadness from her rivals. "I keep my promises. I said I wasn't going to concede a goal and that's what happened," the player confessed with a smile after winning in Poland. Once again, Spain is world champion. Once again, Spain is golden. What a summer, what a selection and what crazy sports!
