Bonmati says her brilliant winner went exactly as planned
Bonmati showed her class with a brilliant strike in the 113th minute to earn a 1-0 extra-time semi-final win on Wednesday that sent Spain into their first European Championship final and ended their winless run against the Germans.
Asked if the goal was planned, Bonmati, who was in hospital with viral meningitis days before Euro 2025 kicked off, said: "Yes, the truth is that we had studied it.
"Well, Marisa, the goalkeeper coach, had told me that she (Berger) made certain movements and that sometimes she left the near post clear and that's how it was.
"I didn't think about (taking that shot) twice because I didn't want it to reach penalties."
Spain will meet holders England in Sunday's decider in a rematch of their 2023 World Cup final, won by the Spaniards.
Wednesday's victory was Spain's 10th in a row and 13th in 14 games, their only loss was a 1-0 defeat to England in the Nations League in February.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
World Trump was told he is in Epstein files, Wall Street Journal reports
Opinion The US dollar is down, but it has a lot going for it
Singapore Judge asks prosecution for more information on Kpods in first case involving etomidate-laced vapes
Singapore Singapore Oceanarium will enhance tourism while supporting sustainability: Grace Fu
Singapore 5 teens arrested for threatening boy with knife, 2 charged with causing hurt
Singapore Over 1.15 million Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 have claimed SG60 vouchers
Asia Japan PM Ishiba refutes reports of imminent resignation after surprise US trade deal
Asia Thailand recalls ambassador, expels Cambodian envoy in border row
"Scoring in a game like this one is super special and if I can help the team writing history, it's very special," said Bonmati, who made a beeline for her bench to celebrate her goal.
"For the first time we have beaten Germany with the women's national team, and for the first time we are in the final of the Euros. We have written history."
Bonmati made a remarkable recovery from her illness to feature in all of La Roja's games in Switzerland.
"Now we're in the final," the 27-year-old said. "Sometimes things turn around and you get good news."
The Spaniards were the standout side in the group stage in Switzerland, winning their three games by a combined score of 14-3, and while they moved the ball with precision at Letzigrund Stadion and had the Germans pinned in their own end for much of the second half, they struggled to create any clear chances.
Bonmati, who was a constant threat, was inch-perfect to finally break the deadlock.
"We knew we needed a special mindset to resist Germany, we managed to win (against them) for the first time, we are super happy, also because you think about all the time you dedicated to the players, the staff, all the emotions," said Spain coach Montse Tome.
"I'm very happy. We've suffered a lot but when you're at the highest level you know that enjoying the game means enjoying the effort and the tension." REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Spain may not have won, but at least this tournament shows how much has changed
NEW YORK – Vicky López was sobbing Sunday as she collected her silver medal. She had just experienced her first major defeat with the senior Spain team, and she was unable to contain her emotions. The world champions lost to England in a penalty shootout, falling at the final hurdle in their bid to add the European Championship to the World Cup they won in 2023 and the Nations League trophy lifted in 2024. They had been the favorites against the Lionesses, even though this was their first final in this competition. But when the dust settles and the pain of defeat has eased, they can at least reflect that this tournament has represented a huge step forward for the Spanish national team. The 2023 World Cup arrived amid a battle between the players and the Spanish soccer federation that had been brewing for some time and exploded in September 2022 after the last Euros. The players were demanding minimum conditions that would allow them to perform at their best. They became particularly aware of this with the professionalization of club teams, led by Barcelona, and saw the difference between playing domestically and internationally. For many of them, playing for the national team was like a trip back in time. The players wanted to get to competitions in enough time to ensure recovery from the journey so it would not affect their first match. They wanted to travel in the most comfortable conditions possible to avoid fatigue. They wanted a nutritionist, analysis of their opponents and themselves, enough friendly matches to prepare, physical trainers, optimal practice conditions and elite training. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thirty dead, over 80,000 evacuated, following heavy rain in Beijing Asia Thai army accuses Cambodia of violating truce Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang World Trump says many are starving in Gaza, vows to set up food centres Sport World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro among list of top names for Singapore football coach Business Crypto's comeback: Should Bitcoin and other digital assets be in your portfolio now? Business BYD tops Singapore car sales in first half of 2025 with almost one-fifth of the market Singapore ST Explains: What we know about the Tanjong Katong sinkhole so far They believed that other teams already had all of this and that they were at a disadvantage. Another issue was the hotels. They were always isolated, far from the sites hosting the matches. 'We hardly had any friendly matches, we were staying in hotels located in industrial estates next to petrol stations, we didn't have the same facilities as other teams to recover quickly, and we had fairly limited staff,' former player Veronica Boquete told The Athletic about the 2013 Euros. Years later, that situation had not improved in line with the developments in the women's game. For Euro 2022, held in England, the team stayed in Marlow, a small town west of London. For the 2023 World Cup, it was based in Palmerston North, a city in the middle of New Zealand's North Island, far from all the venues. After the group stage, it had to move to Wellington because there were concerns that the condition of the field it was using could cause injuries, and the facilities proved to be inadequate. This summer, the Spanish federation decided to base the team in Lausanne, in the center of Switzerland, close to all game sites. The location was convenient for transport, and the players felt so comfortable that after each match, they asked to spend the night back in Lausanne instead of in a hotel in the city where they were playing – except for the day of the final in Basel. The training ground chosen, Juan-Antonio-Samaranch Stadium, is one of the best available in Switzerland. 'Now we have the perfect food, we recover better with more physios, a psychologist, comfortable travel, a gym in all the facilities – those details also make a difference on the pitch,' midfielder Patri Guijarro said in an interview with El Mundo. 'I remember that in England, the food was always the same. When you're at the top, those details matter.' At Euro 2025 – and for the first time – two doctors and six physiotherapists traveled with the team, along with seven people from the communications department, one from ticketing and another from fan experience. Since the team was given a truly professional structure two years ago, it has won a World Cup and a Nations League title and reached a Euros final. The 2023 World Cup brought about its own changes, after Luis Rubiales, then the president of Spain's soccer federation, forcibly kissed player Jennifer Hermoso during the title celebration. He resigned from the organization, and the coach he had supported through allegations of mistreatment, Jorge Vilda, was dismissed. The focus now, after all of that, is on soccer. During this tournament, Spain took its game to new heights. Its identity is increasingly solid, with an unmistakable style of possession and positioning: tiki-taka. It finished atop Group B, unbeaten and having scored 14 goals. It was the highest total of all 16 teams in the competition. In the knockout stages, it eliminated host Switzerland (2-0), beat Germany in extra time (1-0) and reached the final for the first time. There were some weaknesses defensively, but ultimately it took a penalty shootout to defeat the team. Now, the players can rest. Three years after their fight for better conditions began, they can say it was worth it. NYTIMES
CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
Trump seeks Murdoch deposition, denies ties to Epstein's island amid defamation fight
NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump on Monday (Jul 28) asked a federal court to quickly depose media mogul Rupert Murdoch in his defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, following the newspaper's report that Trump's name appeared on a 2003 birthday greeting for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Trump filed the suit on Jul 18, a day after the Journal published the article alleging that a letter from Trump to Epstein included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to 'secrets' they shared. Trump called the letter a fabrication and accused the Journal and its parent companies, including Murdoch, of attempting to damage his reputation. In a filing to the US District Court in Miami, Trump's lawyers claimed the president personally informed Murdoch that the letter was fake before the article was published. Murdoch, they said, told Trump he would 'take care of it'. 'Murdoch's direct involvement further underscores Defendants' actual malice,' Trump's legal team wrote, referring to the legal threshold required to prove defamation against a public figure. They asked Judge Darrin Gayles to compel Murdoch, 94, to testify within 15 days. Gayles ordered Murdoch to respond by Aug 4. Dow Jones, which publishes the Wall Street Journal, declined to comment. The publisher has said it stands by its reporting and will 'vigorously defend' against the lawsuit. Neither Dow Jones owner News Corp nor a spokesperson for Murdoch responded to requests for comment. The Journal article appeared amid intensifying criticism of Trump's administration from both conservative allies and congressional Democrats, who have accused the Justice Department of withholding documents tied to Epstein's case. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Trump and Epstein were previously friends, though Trump has since described a falling out. Legal experts say Trump faces steep odds in the case. To prevail, he must prove not only that the article was false, but also that the Journal knew or should have known it was false, a legal standard known as 'actual malice'. Trump is seeking US$10 billion in damages. TRUMP SAYS HE TURNED DOWN EPSTEIN ISLAND INVITE Trump said on Monday he "never had the privilege" of visiting Epstein's island and turned down an invitation from the disgraced financier, calling it a moment of "very good judgment". "In one of my very good moments, I turned it down," he told reporters during a visit to Scotland. The private island in the US Virgin Islands has been alleged by prosecutors to have been a hub for sex trafficking involving underage victims. Trump, who socialised with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, said he ended the relationship after Epstein tried to hire staff from Trump's own team. "He did it again. And I threw him out of the place persona non grata," Trump said. The president dismissed the renewed scrutiny over his ties to Epstein as politically motivated and reiterated his belief that the entire story was a "hoax". "It's a hoax that's been built up way beyond proportion," Trump said, adding that Democrats would have used any real evidence against him in previous elections if it existed.
CNA
14 hours ago
- CNA
Trump seeks swift deposition of Murdoch in Epstein defamation case
NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump on Monday (Jul 28) asked a federal court to quickly depose media mogul Rupert Murdoch in his defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, following the newspaper's report that Trump's name appeared on a 2003 birthday greeting for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Trump filed the suit on Jul 18, a day after the Journal published the article alleging that a letter from Trump to Epstein included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to 'secrets' they shared. Trump called the letter a fabrication and accused the Journal and its parent companies, including Murdoch, of attempting to damage his reputation. In a filing to the US District Court in Miami, Trump's lawyers claimed the president personally informed Murdoch that the letter was fake before the article was published. Murdoch, they said, told Trump he would 'take care of it'. 'Murdoch's direct involvement further underscores Defendants' actual malice,' Trump's legal team wrote, referring to the legal threshold required to prove defamation against a public figure. They asked Judge Darrin Gayles to compel Murdoch, 94, to testify within 15 days. Gayles ordered Murdoch to respond by Aug 4. Dow Jones, which publishes the Wall Street Journal, declined to comment. The publisher has said it stands by its reporting and will 'vigorously defend' against the lawsuit. Neither Dow Jones owner News Corp nor a spokesperson for Murdoch responded to requests for comment. The Journal article appeared amid intensifying criticism of Trump's administration from both conservative allies and congressional Democrats, who have accused the Justice Department of withholding documents tied to Epstein's case. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Trump and Epstein were previously friends, though Trump has since described a falling out. Legal experts say Trump faces steep odds in the case. To prevail, he must prove not only that the article was false, but also that the Journal knew or should have known it was false, a legal standard known as 'actual malice'. Trump is seeking US$10 billion in damages.
