Spain ease past Paraguay into quarters

Spain secured a comfortable 7-1 victory to lock-up second spot in Group C and end Paraguay http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1914904/index.html 's ambitions in the tournament. http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1915203/index.html

The two sides went into the contest effectively battling for second spot, though Spain http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1914904/index.html knew a draw would suffice provided New Zealand failed to defeat group leaders Japan.

Spain http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1914904/index.html were immediately out of blocks in impressive fashion taking a dominant 3-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

Beatriz Beltran opened the scoring with a neat finish in the fourth minute after prospering from Nahikari Garcia http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=377728/index.html 's intelligent lay-off. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=377769/index.html

The lead was soon doubled after an excellent long-range free-kick from the right corner of the box by Andrea Falcon sailed high into the net for one of the more spectacular strikes of the tournament. Falcon then bagged her second with the Paraguay http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=377772/index.html defence cut to shreds down the middle. http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1915203/index.html

However, Paraguay http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1915203/index.html soon pulled a goal back from the most unlikely source as Fanny Godoy – the smallest player on the pitch – directed a glancing header from a long free-kick into the goal.

The second half continued in a similar vein to the first with the Europeans dominating both possession and goalscoring opportunities.

Midfielder Garcia further extended the margin midway through the second half, while Pilar Garrote http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=377760/index.html nabbed a quickfire brace within three minutes.

Then it was the turn of Garcia to score her second at the expense of a tired Paraguay http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/teams/team=1915203/index.html defence to underscore a dominant display from La Roja.