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sep 10 2026Spain has reached the World Cup semifinals. The national team defeated Australia 66-89 in the quarterfinals played in Berlin and will face the United States this Saturday at 8:00 PM, one of the two major title favorites.
It marks the team's return to the medal round after the last edition in Sydney, and reclaims a position it had held in the three previous tournaments.
An outstanding first half
The opening was a three-pointer duel between Stephanie Reid and Iyana Martín, with three consecutive makes each. Spanish defense made the difference, growing stronger while the offense looked to better utilize the interior play of Awa Fam and Megan Gustafson. The entry of Alicia Flórez brought intensity on defense and also points, and the first quarter closed with an eloquent 17-31.
Australia reacted at the start of the second quarter with two good baskets from Steph Talbot that forced Miguel Méndez to call a timeout (25-33), but Spain quickly regained control. With defensive plays from Helena Pueyo, an unstoppable Alba Torrens near the basket, and María Conde active on offense, the lead reached twenty points (32-52) and halftime arrived at 34-56, despite an Australian three-pointer at the buzzer.
Defense won the rest
The second half had one objective: prevent Australia from getting back into the game. And Spain achieved it without needing to score. Accuracy disappeared—just 12 points in the entire third quarter—but the Australians also found no way to break through the defensive wall.
In the final period, Sandy Brondello's team got as close as thirteen (63-76) in the only real comeback attempt, neutralized by baskets from Iyana Martín and free throws that sealed the score.
Gustafson finished as Spain's leading scorer with 16 points and Iyana Martín added 14, in a very balanced team effort.
From the Mali loss to the semifinals
It's worth remembering where this team comes from. Just five days ago, the loss to Mali in the second game left the group with all four teams tied and Spain facing scenarios that included elimination from the tournament. That game was also played with less than sixteen hours of rest from the opener, something María Conde openly criticized.
Since then, the team has strung together victories and arrived at the quarterfinals with a solidity that wasn't expected after that stumble.
Next up is the United States, the historical reference of the competition. In the other semifinal, Germany advanced after pulling off the upset by eliminating the two-time European champion (74-93).
