This was an absolutely vital fixture for the Spanish national team, with much more at stake in the match against the Netherlands than in any normal game. Up for grabs in this clash was a place in the final of the UEFA Women's Nations League and qualification for the Olympic Games for the first time in Spanish footballing history.

After a tentative start to the match, the Netherlands had the first clear-cut chance of the encounter when Daniëlle van de Donk's through ball almost found Brugts in front of goal, but it came to nothing in the end.

Just a minute later, the first big chances for the Spanish national team came, both falling to Salma Paralluelo. The first came from a long ball from Mariona from midfield that Salma almost took advantage of after a powerful run, but her shot went just wide of the right-hand Dutch post. Just a minute later, the striker from Zaragoza had another chance, this time latching onto Athenea's pass, but again the ball went narrowly wide.

In the 17th minute, another Dutch attack saw Cata Coll make one of the saves of the match from a powerful shot from Beerensteyn, the Mallorcan pulled off a reflex save to keep the ball out with her left foot. Spain almost instantly hit back once again, with Salma Paralluelo breaking away from her marker at speed to get herself one-on-one with Dutch goalkeeper Van Domselaar, from where she dinked the ball agonisingly wide of the post in what could have potentially become frustratingly recurrent.

However, by this point Spain had taken near control of the ball and the players were moving the ball slickly between them. After the half-hour mark, Olga and Irene Paredes had further chances, but both shots went narrowly wide of Daphne van Domselaar's goal.

The crowd at La Cartuja were in great voice to cheer on the home side from the very start of the game. In the 41st minute the team paid their supporters back with a goal they richly deserved. Ona Batlle's ball into the box to Jenni Hermoso was skillfully controlled, taken away from the defenders neatly and struck into the net with a calm left-footed shot that sent the Cartuja crowd into a frenzy.

La Cartuja sets a record turnout of 21,856 spectators.

The joy did not end there. A few seconds before half-time, a Mariona ball from the left went to Aitana Bonmatí who took advantage to score again and make it 2-0 at the break.

After the restart, there was again a tentative period of play where neither team could dominate possession and there were no great chances for either team. In the 62nd minute, Montse Tomé made her first substitution with the inclusion of Alba Redondo for Athenea de Castillo. Then, in the 73rd minute, Oihane and Vicky López, a 17-year-old debutant, came on for her first cap.

In the 77th minute, Ona Batlle took advantage of a loose ball in the box to score the third and bring Spain even closer to qualifying for the Nations League final and the Olympic Games. Eva Navarro and Lucía García came on in the 83rd minute and Lucía had a chance just minutes from the end that went narrowly wide.

A dominant victory for a Spanish national team that continues to dream big and to excite the fans, who are overflowing with love and support for the World Cup winners.