Spain beats Netherlands to reach Women's World Cup semi-finals

Over a tense 90 minutes in Wellington full of incident, Mariona Caldentey scored an 81st-minute penalty for Spain, only for Dutch defender Stefanie van der Gragt to equalise in added time 10 minutes later.

With the quarter-final seemingly headed for penalties, the 19-year-old substitute Paralluelo produced a brilliant solo finish in the 111th minute to put Spain into the last four for the first time.

They will now face Sweden or Japan in Auckland on Tuesday while the tournament is over for the Dutch, beaten finalists four years ago.

"It's hard now," said Van der Gragt, whose last game in football was an eventful one -- conceding the penalty for handball, then equalising, before Paralluelo's decisive, late intervention.

"We had the chance in extra time and we didn't score, they had one chance and they scored. That's football."

It was reward for a display of controlled attacking football from the sixth-ranked La Roja, who have regained their swagger after crashing to a 4-0 group-stage loss to Japan.

The 90 minutes of normal time were largely dominated by Spain -- and some VAR decisions -- but it was actually the Netherlands who looked stronger in extra time, before second-half substitute Paralluelo struck on the counterattack. 

Jorge Vilda's Spain dominated the first half, making 11 unanswered attempts on goal.

The Dutch were rescued by the woodwork twice in quick succession when Alba Redondo's header was parried onto the post by goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and her follow-up nearly hit the same spot low down on the left post.

Spain captain Esther Gonzalez, who was a constant menace, lashed a shot into the net from a Redondo mis-hit but the striker was ruled offside by VAR.

The Netherlands regained a foothold in the