Boquete calls on Spain to finish job

Verónica Boquete believes Spain's "togetherness and mental strength" will be crucial as her side attempt to defeat the Netherlands in the play-offs and qualify for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™.

Close call
Ignacio Quereda's team came close to automatic qualification when they led England by 2-0 in Zamora in their final Group 1 game. Two second-half strikes from the visitors, however, meant it was Hope Powell's team that advanced while Spain went into the play-offs. "England were very difficult rivals and the hard part afterwards was we could only draw after being in a winning position," Boquete told uefa.com. "Rather than forget about that game, we've tried to turn it into something positive. We played at a high level that night and we must continue on that path on Saturday. After the game against England we really want to get started against Holland and try to book our place at the finals."

Aiming high
Spain are bidding to qualify for the first time since 1997 and will be keen to make a good start in the first leg Madrid. "On an individual level each player will have to give their all as well as supporting the other members of the group. We have a lot of important players with us, including Erika [Vázquez], Adriana [Martin] and Luara del Rio and as for our coach, [Quereda] he's been here many years and knows everyone well. Like all of the technical staff, he wants Spain to be among the best sides in Europe."

Upturn
The Netherlands have not beaten Spain in five previous meetings, losing twice, and have never reached a senior women's finals. But there has been an upturn under the experienced Vera Pauw since she took over in 2004 and after finishing runners-up to Germany in their qualifying group thanks to last month's 3-0 defeat of Belgium the coach has high ambitions. "Now we've come this far, we have to go all the way," Pauw said.

Melis out
Pauw is without the Swedish league's top scorer Manon Melis, who has a broken jaw, but Annemieke Griffioen is fit to win her 125th cap despite breaking her nose in training with German club FCR 2001 Duisburg. Most of the rest of the squad are with clubs in the women's Eredivisie, formed in 2007 with the likes of AZ Alkmaar and FC Twente involved, and it has led to a more professional attitude according to Pauw.

New attitude
"It appears that football has taken a different place in the life of the girls, and thanks to the excellent circumstances and good coaching with the professional football clubs they have a better eye for the game," she said. "I notice that players who are developing and proving themselves in the Eredivisie no longer have trouble making the step up to the demanding international level. In future this will make the difference, and maybe sooner than we think."