[Photo courtesy of Allfootball]
Switzerland perfect defensive record in the competition was undone in just five minutes against Spain. Their defense was breached by midfielder Bonmati, who scored the first goal for La Roja.
The Spanish team continued to dominate, adding more goals through Bonmati, Alba Redondo, Laia Codina, and Jenni Hermoso, resulting in an impressive 5-1 victory.
Bonmati, Redondo, and Hermoso have all tallied three goals each in the tournament, showcasing their goal-scoring prowess.
For Codina, her 45th-minute goal was a moment of redemption, as she had previously scored an unfortunate own goal with a misguided pass that shocked goalkeeper Cata Coll from 40 yards out.
Spain secured a second-place finish in Group C, with comprehensive wins against Costa Rica and Zambia, scoring a combined 8-0, before experiencing an unexpected 4-0 defeat to Japan.
Coach Jorge Vilda made strategic changes to the team, including replacing goalkeeper Maria Rodriguez with Coll, ahead of Saturday’s match.
Having achieved their best World Cup finish to date, Switzerland, ranked 20th, matched their previous round of 16 exit in their sole World Cup appearance in 2015.
Now, Spain advances to face the winner of the round of 16 game between the Netherlands and South Africa, and the fans anticipate more exciting clashes in the competition.