Match in Focus: Spain get off to the perfect start

Goals from Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey saw world champions Spain come from behind to beat Japan in one of the opening games of the Paris 2024 Olympics

World champions Spain got their search for an Olympic gold medal off to the best possible start with a come from behind win to beat Japan 2-1 in Nantes.

With the scars of last summer’s 4-0 defeat to the same opposition behind them, they may have momentarily feared the worse when a sensational Aoba Fujino free-kick put the Nadeshiko in front, but a Spain side with a different mentality to 12 months ago kept their heads, kept their calm and kept true to their style of play to come back through goals from Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey.

Both goals were symptomatic of what we have come to see from Spain. Intricate, quick, incisive passing around the box, which is what led to the equaliser when Alexia Putellas found Athenea del Castillo and she in turn slid the ball through the Japan defence for Bonmatí to slot home.

Japan changed things at the break as Maika Hamano replaced Kiko Seike, but it didn’t have the desired effect, and instead Futoshi Ikeda’s side found themselves penned in for most of the second half.

As expected, they did a good job of it, remaining defensively disciplined throughout and ensuring that despite all the pressure, Ayaka Yamashita remained relatively untested in goal.

That was though until Mariona made one of her customary runs inside, played a neat one-two with Bonmatí and somehow found the space to curl home the winner.

It didn’t quite burst into the spectacle it threatened to at half-time, but Spain will be delighted to have gained three points in what is sure to be an ultra-competitive group.

Here’s five key takeaways from the match in WFC’s view…

---

Check out over 100 more unique stories in WFC’s Premium section, available for just £45 for 12 months, paid in one go, or a £6 a month rolling subscription.

All subscriptions come with a 7-day free trial to allow you to explore our full archive.

Plus, guarantee you everything that is to come over the next 12 months…

---

Spain stuck to their guns

This was a true to test of whether Spain can go on and try and dominate the world stage, against a team who also stay true to their principles, and who through them demolished them on the way to a first World Cup title 12 months ago.

When it went 1-0, the intrigue was whether what unfolded in Wellington last year would unfold again, and indeed would Spain themselves fold as they did on that cold, rainy evening.

But that was a Spain pre-title, a Spain still searching for the winning formula and the mental stresses and strains that come with it. This Spain has now ticked that box, and it took only minutes to find their composure and unlock the Japanese door to make it 1-1.

From there, it did look like only one winner, with Spain relentless in their play after the break, with all the depth in the world to come off the bench, before Mariona curled home the winner.

“I think we know it’s not the first time we have started losing,” said Ona Batlle. “We know our heads have to be in the game. We know our team, we know how we are able to do these things, to keep the ball and score goals and I think we got a better mentality now, we are stronger and that’s really good for us.”