Women’s World Cup LIVE: Spain lead Netherlands 1-0 after handball from van der Gragt; Japan face Sweden tonight

Spain are playing with plenty of creativity and fluidity, which is resulting in opportunities created to score, yet they can’t make their presence known on the scoreboard.

It remains at nil-all, 20 minutes into the second half.

The Spanish forwards Esther Gonz?lez and Alba Redondo continue to threaten the Dutch defence but the Netherlands have battened down the hatches.

The Netherlands almost got their golden opportunity as Lineth Beerensteyn streamed into the box. Her opponent Damaris Egurrola challenged her and was booked with a yellow card and a penalty was awarded, but both were revoked after being checked by VAR.

The moment did, however, give some confidence to the Dutch, who started to then play higher up the pitch and with more attack.

It feels as though Spain should be up by at least two goals by now.

Spain 0, Netherlands 0, 66 minutes in.

A penalty was given but revoked through VAR.Credit: Reuters.

VAR being checked for a penalty.Credit: Reuters

Just moments after Damaris Egurrola was handed a yellow card, Spanish defender Irene Parades is given one of her own for pushing Lineth Beerensteyn in the back.

And, because the contact was in the box, the Netherlands are handed the lifeline of a penalty.

Or are they?

The original decision from referee St?phanie Frappart was a penalty for the contact, but a VAR decision says it’s fair game, and the penalty is revoked.

The yellow card on Parades is also taken away, but this could be the momentum shift the Dutch need to get going in this match.

Spain 0, Netherland 0 after 63 minutes

Contact between Lineth Beerensteyn and Irene Paredes.Credit: Getty

Inside the first 15 seconds of the second half, Esther Gonzalez gets a shot on goal.

Lucky for the Dutch, it flies ever so slightly to the left.

It’s not how the Dutch would have wanted to start the second half, and it puts them on the back foot straight away.

Spain’s Esther Gonzalez reacts after missing a shot on goal in the first 15-seconds of the second-half.Credit: Reuters

For them to be more dominant in this next 45 minutes, they need to be patient on the ball, so they can make the most of their opportunities – they have five players in the midfield, but they aren’t utilising their space very well.

Because the Dutch have become clumped at some points on the pitch, the Spanish are just running through all the gaps left behind.

Spain 0, Netherlands 0 after 48 minutes

Spain may have had the ball in the back of the net, but the scoreboard remains 0-0 as we head into half-time.

Spanish forwards Esther Gonzalez and Alba Redondo have been wreaking havoc in the Netherlands’ third of the field, and the pressure has been on Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.

The Oranje keeper has remained calm and, besides letting through that ball from Gonzalez (which was ruled offside anyway), you can’t fault her work.

Half-time: Spain 0, Netherlands 0

Aitana Bonmati of Spain and Jackie Groenen of Netherlands compete for the ball.Credit: Getty

Spain have fired a series of warning shots against the Netherlands but haven’t managed to land a blow. Yet.

Esther Gonzalez looked to have scored Spain’s first World Cup quarter-final goal in the later stages of the opening half but she was called offside.

The Spaniards had 12 shots in th opening half, three of those on target. Meanwhile, the Dutch had just one shot on goal, which wasn’t on target.

The Netherlands will be thankful they’ve got goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar as their last line of defence, who has been terrific. Without her, Spain could be one or two goals up.

Spain are renowned as strong starters, so it’s a pretty big tick for the Netherlands to have withstood their first half attack.

For the Dutch to progress, they’ll need to find a way to create opportunities of their own this second half.

For the Spaniards, they’ll want to keep doing what they’re doing but with a touch more precision.

Spain 0, Netherlands 0, HT.

We have four minutes added to the first half, and the teams will be gunning to hit the sheds.

Spain has had all the possession and plays in this first half, but nothing to show for it.

Lineth Beerensteyn of the Netherlands controls the ball against Laia Codina.Credit: Getty

As for the Dutch, they’ll be relieved to head into the break without a mark against them, but something neds to change to put them on equal footing with the Spaniards.

Spain 0, Netherlands 0 after 45 minutes + 1 minute

It’s the run down the left side that looks to open the scoring for the Spaniards.

Captain Esther Gonzalez gets a perfect touch on the ball and pushes it past Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and into the back of the net.

But referee St?phanie Frappart has to back track on the original decision of a goal because VAR shows that both Spanish forwards are offside.

The Netherlands breathe a sigh of relief.

Spain 0, Netherlands 0 after 38 minutes