Spain secured a stunning 3-2 victory over England at Wembley Stadium in their Nations League opener. The world champions took advantage of two critical defensive errors by England to score their first two goals. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the second minute after Marc Guehi was caught in possession deep in his own half. This early goal set the tone for a challenging match for England.
England's defensive woes continued as Alex Baena scored for Spain on the hour mark. Nico O'Reilly's misplaced pass handed possession back to the visitors, allowing Baena to capitalize. Despite these setbacks, England showed resilience and mounted a comeback. Anthony Gordon equalized in the 36th minute, sparking a four-minute spell that saw England take the lead through Harry Kane's header.
Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal scored the decisive goal in the 74th minute, showcasing his skill with a clever dink over goalkeeper James Trafford. This goal proved to be the winner, securing Spain's victory despite England's efforts to mount a comeback. Oyarzabal had also scored the winner against England in the 2024 European Championship final.
England manager Thomas Tuchel attributed the loss to a terrible start, citing the two individual mistakes that led to Spain's goals. He praised his team's reaction, describing it as "very good." Tuchel acknowledged the challenge of facing the world champions and European champions, emphasizing that England had given their all.
Harry Kane reflected on the match, noting that England had played against the best teams and had given them a tough challenge. He expressed optimism, suggesting that on another day, England would have emerged victorious. Kane also rued his missed opportunity, having fired a second-half penalty off the inside of the crossbar.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised his team's performance, highlighting their ability to adapt and control the game. He acknowledged England's talent but emphasized Spain's strategic approach. De la Fuente's tactics had paid off, as Spain dominated the match despite England's comeback efforts.
In another Group A3 match, Croatia secured a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic under new manager Slaven Bilic. Captain Luka Modric played a key role before Marco Pasalic scored the decisive goal. This win marked a positive start for Bilic, who took over as Croatia's manager.
Key points
- Spain capitalized on two defensive errors by England to secure a 3-2 win in their Nations League opener.
- England showed resilience with a comeback but ultimately fell short.
- Croatia began their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic under new manager Slaven Bilic.
