World champions Spain hit five on home return

7 months ago 104
Spain and Switzerland players hold a banner reading "se acabo" which translates to English as "it's over", a phrase used on social media amid the scandalBoth sets of players held a banner reading "se acabo" which translates in English as "it's over", a phrase used on social media amid the scandal

Spain turned on the style in their first match on home soil since winning the Women's World Cup to crush Switzerland in Cordoba.

As on Friday in their game away to Sweden, both sets of players stood behind a banner reading "It's over, our fight is the global fight" following the scandal which has engulfed Spanish football.

Earlier, fans greeted Spain's team bus with a banner which read: "Thank you champions for your fight on and off the pitch".

The game itself saw La Roja make it two wins out of two in in Group A4 of the Women's Nations League.

A mistake by keeper Elvira Herzog led to Manchester United's Lucia Garcia opening the scoring in front of 14,194 fans, a record crowd for a Spain women's national team home match.

Luis Rubiales: The kiss that shook Spanish and global footballIrene Paredes of Spain and Alexia Putellas show off the World Cup trophy before kick-off against SwitzerlandIrene Paredes of Spain and Alexia Putellas show off the World Cup trophy before kick-off against Switzerland

Aitana Bonmati, who was awarded the Golden Ball for best player at the World Cup, added the second goal on the stroke of half-time before making it 3-0 after an assist by her Barcelona team-mate Alexia Putellas.

Substitutes Inma Gabarro and Maite Oroz got the fourth and fifth goals respectively.

There was a carnival atmosphere to welcome the world champions home.

Before kick-off, Putellas and team-mate Irene Paredes paraded the World Cup trophy in front of fans.

Following the World Cup final on 20 August, then then president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy presentation ceremony. Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual, setting off a remarkable chain of events.

Rubiales ignored calls to resign before eventually quitting on 11 September, World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda was sacked and the Spain players threatened a boycott of Friday's game against Sweden.

The boycott was only called off two days before the game after the players reached an agreement with the RFEF, which said it had committed to "immediate and profound changes."

Rubiales has been banned from going within 200 metres of Hermoso after she filed a legal complaint. He denied sexually assaulting Hermoso when he appeared in court on 15 September.

Line-ups

Spain

Formation 4-3-3

23Coll Lluch12Hernández4Paredes14Aleixandri19Carmona6BonmatíSubstituted forMárquezat 80'minutes3AbelleiraSubstituted forOrozat 69'minutes11Putellas15NavarroSubstituted fordel Castilloat 45'minutes17GarcíaSubstituted forGabarro Romeroat 45'minutes8Caldentey OliverSubstituted forSarriegi Isasaat 61'minutes

Substitutes

1Rodríguez Rivero2Batlle5Méndez7Sarriegi Isasa9Gabarro Romero10Florentino13Salón16Pérez18Oroz20Martín-Prieto21Márquez22del Castillo

Switzerland

Formation 4-3-2-1

21Herzog19AigbogunSubstituted forTerchounat 45'minutes5MaritzBooked at 60minsSubstituted forIveljat 78'minutes15Bühler8Riesen11SowBooked at 85mins13Wälti14VallottoSubstituted forReutelerat 60'minutes3Marti17PiubelSubstituted forPilgrimat 61'minutes23LehmannSubstituted forCsillagat 78'minutes

Substitutes

1Schneider2Ivelj4Egli6Reuteler7Xhemaili9Csillag12Peng16Mauron18Felber20Pilgrim22Terchoun
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