MONTEVIDEO - When Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashati whistled the end of the match the whole Spannish bench jumped on to the pitch to celebrate -- ‘La Rojita’ were in the FIFA U-17 Women´s World Cup final after beating New Zealand 2-0 with goals from Claudia Pina and Irene López.

All the cameras followed the players, jumping and dancing on the pitch, but few looked at the bench where coach Toña Is hugged her staff while a huge smile invaded her face.

She told the press conference: “I am very proud of the players. They have made me the happiest woman on earth. We are in a World Cup final and it’s something that I have been dreaming all my life. It’s a dream come true and we’re going to try to take the trophy home”.

In May her team won the U-17 European Championship and in August she celebrated a silver medal in the FIFA U-21 Women’s World Cup France 2018 as an assistant. Now only Mexico stand between Spain and their first World Cup in this category.

Toña trusts her team. She said: “I don’t care about the rivals. I am interested in my team and what we are capable of doing in the field. I trust my players”.

One of the leaders against New Zeeland was midfielder Irene López whose goal gave Spain a 2-0 advantage. She knows that Saturday is a big chance to be world champions, saying: “We are the favourites but that does not have to a distraction. The favourites label does not weigh on us. We have to work as usual and without pressure.”

In the dressing room, after the game, the players still did not believe they had reached the last game of the tournament. She said: “Still we are not aware that we are here. We looked at each other astonished and said: ‘We are in the final’”.

New Zealand coach Leon Birnie was “obviously disappointed but, in the same sentence, really proud of the girls. They had a fantastic run.”

Birnie sent out his team with a positive mindset. He said: “Spain are a good side and we went out there, especially in the first half, and took the game to them. We had them in their half for long periods and we hit the crossbar and create some opportunities.

“I felt we switched off for their first goal. It was probably the first time in the tournament that I can say we switched off and it was not the best time but that happens. We got punished. That is what semi-finals are about, small moments that change games.”