Red-hot Spain march on

Thun: World Cup champions Spain booked a spot in the quarterfinals of the Women’s European Championship after a 6-2 over Belgium.

It was, surprisingly, the first time Spain won back-to-back matches at the Euros, after beating Portugal 5-0 in their opener.

With 11 goals in two matches, Spain and their star-packed squad is living up to the billing as the tournament favourite and two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas had a stark warning for the other teams.

“The team is having an excellent performance. But almost all of us have room for improvement,” Putellas said in translated comments.

She scored two against Belgium and was named player of the match in a second straight game.

“I’m feeling very well mentally and I’m being quick,” Putellas said. “I see things in advance and for me that’s the trigger that I feel good. And that means I can help others.”

The result combined with Italy’s 1-1 draw against Portugal in the late match advanced Spain to the last eight.

Spain tops Group B with six points. Italy is second with four, three more than Portugal. The top two progress to the quarterfinals. On Friday, Italy faces Spain in their final group match and Portugal plays the eliminated Belgium.

But Belgium can take positives. The Red Flames went toe to toe with Spain before a flurry of late goals had them more concerned about goal difference — which could be a deciding factor. “I’m really proud of my team because I know 100% that they had the belief that I was looking for,” Belgium coach Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir said. Portugal desperately pressed Italy to find a goal to stay alive and finally got it in the 89th minute from Diana Gomes to secure a 1-1 draw. Italy was minutes from joining Spain in the quarterfinals with a lead taken in the 70th on captain Cristiana Girelli’s high-class curling shot

from 20 metres.