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The Copper Queens have been knocked out of the FIFA Women’s World Cup after suffering a second successive 5 nil defeat, this time at the hands of Spain.
Zambia were hoping for a positive result at the Eden Park Stadium after losing to Japan in the first game but they were undone by two early goals by the Spaniards who have claimed a spot in the last 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The result has condemned Zambia to the bottom of Group C and effectively ends any hope of the Copper Queens qualifying to the next round of the competition.
Read more: Copper Queens looks for rebound in Wednesday’s match against Spain in Auckland
Alba Redondo and Jennifer Hermoso both scored braces coupled with a Teresa Abelleira goal to register a convincing win for the champions.
The result means Japan have also qualified for the next round after beating Costa Rica 2 goals to nil.
Japan will now battle it out with Spain for a winner-takes-all duel on 31 July at Wellington Regional Stadium to confirm who tops Group C.
Zambia will play fellow strugglers Costa Rica to determine which team finishes third although the match will have the feeling of a dead rubber considering that Japan and Spain have already booked slots in the last 16 stage of the tournament.
Spain took control of the contest inside the first 10 minutes when the ball was rolled to Teresa Abelleira just outside of the area.
The midfielder took one touch to set herself before thundering an unstoppable effort into the top-left corner which Zambia goalkeeper Eunice Sakala could only stand and watch.
La Roja’s free-flowing football continued to carve out openings and they would double their lead soon after as the excellent Alexia Putellas made a typically enterprising run into space down the left.
The Barcelona superstar floated in an inch-perfect cross for Jennifer Hermoso to head home on her 100th appearance for Spain.
Jorge Vilda made a trio of substitutions at half-time and it didn’t take long for one of those to make their mark, as Alba Redondo scampered clear from a long ball to round Sakala and tap into an empty net.
Hermoso then added to the scoreline just a minute later, thrashing home her 50th international goal from close-range following a penalty box scramble.
The ever-impressive Redondo then latched on to an Eva Navarro cross to smash home her second goal from 12 yards out.
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