Montreal (Canada) June 14 (IANS) A sole goal from Andressa Alves just before the break earned Brazil a 1-0 win over Spain in a group E match and a berth in the Round 16 at the Women’s World Cup here .
An 89th-minute equalizer from Karla Villalobos saved Costa Rica as they drew 2-2 with South Korea and kept the hopes alive to advance.
Brazil have two wins to top the group, with the top two teams of each group and the best four 3rd-placing teams advancing into the knock-out round, Xinhua news agency reported.
Neither teams could control the middle field on Saturday while Brazil had more opportunities to score in the first half, but all efforts fell short until Alves’ goal on the 44th minute.
Chasing a direct pass in the middle, Alves tapped the ball before the charging goal-keeper Ainhoa Tirapu. Defender Celia Jimenez saved the ball inches in front of the goal line, but Alves followed up and slotted the ball into the open net.
Spain showed no sign of fall-back as they kept pressure in the middle field in the second half, and their best chances came in the injury time when Veronica Boquete’s shot hit the goalie and was cleared by Brazil’s defence.
Collecting only one point after two matches, Spain still have chance to advance if they beat South Korea in the last round of the group stage.