Paralluelo and Tarciane shine on final day in Costa Rica

Over the course of the tournament, FIFA's Technical Study Group (TSG) are taking a closer look at the performance of the official "Player of the Match" in each game.

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Spain 3-1 Japan

Player of the Match: (11) Salma Paralluelo (ESP)

A sell-out crowd of 29,891 were treated to a fascinating encounter as Spain powered to a 3-0 first-half lead, courtesy of goals from adidas Golden Boot winner, Inma Gabarro, and a brace from Salma Paralluelo.

Despite a strong second-half performance, Japan could not breach the Spanish defence and Spain, who were crowned U-17 World champions in 2018, secured the U-20 title after an inspired first-half blitz.

There were many standout performances in both teams but our Technical Study Group awarded the player of the match accolade to Spain forward, Salma Paralluelo. 

Speaking about her performance, Mónica Vergara said, "She is a strong, fast player and is a dangerous player in 1v1 situations but also in open play. She is very good in the air, and this allows Spain to have variety in how they distribute the ball from goalkeeper or defenders, and she can also take the ball in."

"Defensively she puts opponents under strong pressure, denying them time on the ball and she really disturbed Japan's rhythm of build up out of the back in the first half," added Vergara.  

Anja Mittag also observed the match and commented, "Paralluelo had a very specific role for her team and she was excellent in this game. She scored two goals and her finish for her first goal was so impressive. The way she controlled the ball first and then the technique and focus for the finish was outstanding. It was an ice-cold finish." 

"She was a target for her goalkeeper in their build-up play and was able to take the ball in and use her body to protect it from the Japan defenders. She was difficult to defend against because she used her power and speed so well and she was really explosive when she ran with the ball," added Mittag.

Netherlands 1-4 Brazil

Player of the Match: (3) Tarciane (BRA) 

In the playoff match for third place, Brazil claimed the bronze medals with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over the Netherlands, courtesy of two goals from centre-back Tarciane, in addition to one each from Ana Clara and Gi Fernandes.

Tarciane scored her first with a close-range overhead kick and added her second from the penalty spot despite missing a spot-kick earlier in the game. Having been very consistent for team throughout the tournament, and with another impressive performance in this match, the centre-back was named player of the match for a second time. 

Speaking about Tarciane's performance, Anja Mittag commented, "She showed great courage to take the second penalty after missing the first one. It was a real demonstration of her strong mentality. She is a real leader in her team, especially in big moments of the game."

"She is a player who understands her position very well and controls the position of her defensive line. She communicates very well with her team-mates and will continue to grow as a player if she can maintain good focus and commitment to her performance throughout the whole game," added Mittag.

"She is a very good defender but is competent on the ball when her team is in possession. She can break lines with her forward passes, which is important for a centre-back. She is also a real threat from set plays. She showed great instinct to score a great goal, and you could see she was relieved when she scored the goal. She was excellent throughout the tournament," concluded Mittag.

Mónica Vergara also observed the match and enjoyed many aspects of Tarciane's game.

"She is the leader in the defensive line and is a smart player. She's always involved in the game and has an excellent range of passing. She can play short, medium and long and is comfortable stepping in with the ball." 

"As a defender, she is very strong in duels and 1v1 comfortable situations. She had the courage to take the second penalty after first one was saved which shows she is resilient and very focused. She didn't allow the missed penalty to affect her game and I liked this quality in her," added Vergara. 

"Tarciane is also very strong in the air which means she is dangerous on set plays so she is a very versatile player with many facets to her game. She has a lot of potential and with continued hard work and focus, she will have an exciting future ahead," said Vergara.