Key events
Full-time! Spain 5-0 Zambia
It was as we all predicted: Spain were utterly dominant from start to finish and thoroughly deserved their victory and progression to the knockout stages. Zambia fought for the entire 90 but there was a clear difference in class between the two teams.
90+6 mins: Del Castillo is now on the deck looking very upset.
90+4 mins: I am not sure anyone on the pitch really wants to play out these final eight mins.
Del Castillo says her race is run, too, which is a worry.
90+2 mins: The first booking of the match goes to Lubandji.
Abelleira requires treatment. I’d probably jus take her off now.
90 mins: Eight minutes added on. That is a lot.
89 mins: Almost a sixth for Spain as Navarro gets down the right and drills in a cross but her shot is intercepted at the cost of a corner.
The corner almost results in a goal too, but Redondo’s header is straight at the goalkeeper.
88 mins: Obviously the effort required by Zambia throughout the match has resulted in a very tired final 15 minutes or so, which Spain have taken advantage of.
GOAL! Spain 5-0 Zambia (Redondo, 85)
Navarro whips in a cross to Redondo, she takes a couple of touches and fires into the corner. The flag goes up. It is a tight one, so a VAR comes into play. Thankfully the referee gets her announcement right.
84 mins: Hermoso goes through, gets the ball onto her right foot before firing at goal. Sakala is in the right place and tips the ball onto the bar.
Sakala is there again at the subsequent corner, keeping hold of a Paredes header.
Del Castillo comes on for Caldentey.
82 mins: Redondo is sent through on goal but Sakala flies out and launches into a tackle, getting the ball. The Spanish forward almost regains possession but takes a poor touch and Sakala is there to claim.
80 mins: Barbra Banda gets another shooting opportunity but viciously strikes the ball just over.
78 mins: Navarro shoots from distance but Sakala is a match for it.
76 mins: Zambia subs with Katongo and Mweemba going off, Lubandji and Phiri on.
75 mins: Hermoso did not think she had scored and needed a couple of people to tell her. The referee not being one of those.
GOAL! Spain 4-0 Zambia (Hermoso, 70)
Redondo gets on the end of a cross but hits her shot against the post. The ball bounces straight out to Hermoso who does the rest, only to see the flag go up for Caldentey, the original crosser being offside. VAR has a long look at it. A really long look. A mindbogglingly long look. Then the referee announces that it is not a goal before correcting herself. All a bit of a farce.
GOAL! Spain 3-0 Zambia (Redondo, 69)
And there it is. Navarro lifts the ball over the top for fellow sub Redondo. She stays on her feet despite a push in the back and then rounds the goalkeeper to tap into an empty net.
67 mins: Spain seemed to have slowed down somewhat. They really need another to kill this game off.
65 mins: Hermoso takes aim from the edge of the box but her shot takes a deflection, taking much of the pace off the shot and Sakala pushes it wide.
63 mins: As always, Zambia are looking quite dangerous on the break but lack any end product.
61 mins: “I don’t understand why Spain continually want to play through the middle,” asks Jim O’Brien. “Japan were much more dominant and spread the game wider.”
Spain sticking to what they know.
Another Spanish change: Guerrero on, Bonmati off.
59 mins: Barbra Banda breaks down the left and picks out Katongo in the box but her shot is blocked.
57 mins: Zambia are still hounding Spain but they able to pass it round them.
55 mins: Navarro sends a good cross into the box but Caldentey cannot make sufficient contact and it flashes wide off her forehead.
Barbra Banda gives Paredes a shove in the back for her own amusement.
53 mins: Sakala just about avoids making a catastrophic error. A cross is lifted onto Bonmati’s head but her effort is tame from about 10 yards. Sakala should claim it easily but it slips through her grasp and she just salvages the situation by diving on the ball before it crosses the line.
51 mins: Spain have enjoyed 77% possession, which is impressive.
49 mins: Whenever Sakala does get the chance to kick from her hands, her sole intention is to get the ball as far up the pitch as possible immediately. Considering they only have Barbra Banda up there, she might be better taking a second or two to consider her options.
47 mins: Spain have had all the ball since kick-off.
Second half
Here we go again!
Half-time changes for Spain: Redondo, Hernandez and Navarro on for Putellas, Paralluelo and Batlle.
Kurt Perleberg asks: “Why is Spain so good in women’s football?”
Obviously, they are pretty decent. Overall, I think the fact that women’s football has been quite a big sport in Spain for longer than other countries, so they have better pathways for players and therefore more of an identity. I might be wrong.
Earlier today …
Tony Mason wants your views: “Early days still in thus WC but Spain and Japan both look good. Against Zambia and Costa Rica I’d like to put a premature claim that Aoba Fujino will be the player of the tournament. The teenager showed skill, strength and precision to score today and looked great against Zambia.
“Any other early shouts out there?”
Half-time: Spain 2-0 Zambia
A very dominant opening 45 minutes from Spain, who will mainly be disappointed that they failed to add to their two early goals. They almost did on the stroke of half-time but Sakala does well to block a close-range shot from Bonmati.
45+4 mins: I would argue that Rodriguez has just picked up a backpass but the officials do not care.
45+2 mins: Andrew Colville offers: “Feels like Barbra Banda is plowing (ploughing) a lonely furrow up front, she’s pressing very actively but without much support from her teammates – a Banda apart.”
45 mins: Six minutes added on.