AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AFP) — Jennifer Hermoso and Alba Redondo both scored twice as Spain qualified for the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup with a 5-0 win over Zambia on Wednesday, a result that also propelled Japan into the knockout phase.
The fit-again Alexia Putellas was handed a start by Spain coach Jorge Vilda and she played a part in early goals by Teresa Abelleira and Hermoso at Eden Park.
Substitute Redondo then scored twice in the second half, either side of another Hermoso, goal as Spain cruised to victory.
Reigning Ballon d’Or Putellas, who recently returned from over nine months out with a serious knee injury, was taken off at half-time, with Vilda looking to preserve his star player for the Group C decider against Japan next Monday.
Japan had beaten Costa Rica, 2-0, earlier and they and Spain are now locked on six points each.
But Spain’s margin of victory means they now have a better goal difference and so just need a draw to finish in first place when the sides clash in Wellington.
Zambia are already condemned to a first-round exit in their debut appearance at the World Cup after a second successive 5-0 hammering.
Putellas had made a series of cameo appearances for Barcelona in the final weeks of the season following her return from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament suffered prior to last year’s European Championship.
She then started for Spain in a pre-World Cup friendly against Panama before appearing off the bench in last Friday’s 3-0 defeat of Costa Rica.
Here she came in from kick-off, with Mariona Caldentey also handed a start by Vilda, the duo taking the Barcelona contingent in the Spain lineup to six.
Another Barcelona player, winger Salma Paralluelo, blazed an early chance over before Spain took a ninth-minute lead.
Hermoso laid off a Putellas pass for Real Madrid midfielder Abelleira to blast high into the net from outside the area.
