Spain closes a perfect group stage after beating Morocco in the Women’s U-20 World Cup

The Spanish women’s team has once again made its mark at the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia by beating Morocco with a solid 2-0 scoreline. On this occasion, the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero in Cali was the stage where Sonia Bermúdez’s team completed a perfect group stage, adding their third consecutive victory in the competition. With this victory, Spain not only secures its place in the round of 16, but also does so from the absolute top of the group.

The match, marked by the difference in objectives between the two teams, did not disappoint in terms of intensity. Morocco, led by Jorge Vilda, arrived at this match virtually eliminated after two previous defeats, while Spain needed at least a draw to secure first place in the group. However, the Spanish team left no room for doubt and dominated the match from the opening whistle.

The first goal came just four minutes into the game, when Nahia Aparicio won a corner and, unmarked, headed the ball into the back of the net. This early goal reflected the dynamic of a match where Spain clearly dominated an opponent who could barely threaten the Spanish area during the first half. The presence of Lucía Corrales was key in the offensive play of the Spanish team, who repeatedly broke through on the left flank, creating constant dangerous situations.

Despite the score at half-time showing just a one-goal difference, the superiority of Bermúdez’s players was evident. In fact, Spain came close to extending their lead when Lucía Moral scored after an error by the Moroccan goalkeeper. However, the goal was ruled out by the VAR for a millimetre offside.

The second half continued with the same tone of Spanish dominance, but the match had an interesting twist with the introduction of a new rule in the tournament: each coach can use two cards per match to request a review of controversial plays. Jorge Vilda tried to take advantage of this opportunity in an action in the Spanish area, but the review did not prove him right.

Although Spain kept control of the ball, Morocco found its best player in goalkeeper El Jebraoui. First, she saved a penalty from Erika Gonzalez in the 64th minute and, minutes later, she saved her team again with another key save. These interventions prevented a bigger defeat for the Moroccans.

Finally, in the final moments of the match, Lucía Moral found her deserved reward by scoring Spain’s second goal after a VAR review corrected an initial decision by the assistant. With this goal, Spain sealed the match and closed its participation in the group stage with a full house of victories.

Now, Sonia Bermúdez’s team is preparing to face the round of 16 with sky-high confidence, while Morocco says goodbye to the tournament without having picked up a single point. Spain’s journey in the U-20 World Cup continues, and the dream of lifting the trophy is more alive than ever.