Gordon backs Tuchel's substitution after England's loss to Spain

England's 3-2 defeat at Wembley on Saturday left the Three Lions without a win, as Spain clinched a late winner. Anthony Gordon, who scored the equaliser, defended Thomas Tuchel's decision to replace him in the closing stages, saying the substitution was justified.

Early Spanish dominance

Spain opened the scoring after just two minutes when Lamine Yamal took advantage of a mistake by Marc Guehi. The youngster slotted home, putting the world champions ahead early. England struggled to respond as the first half progressed.

Anthony Gordon levelled the tie by linking up with Jude Bellingham on a swift counter‑attack, finishing the move to make it 1‑1. Harry Kane then restored the lead for the Three Lions before the break, putting England ahead.

Kane's chance to extend the lead vanished in the 54th minute when his penalty struck the crossbar. Six minutes later Spain equalised after Nico O'Reilly's loose ball reached Dani Olmo, whose pass found Alex Baena for the equaliser.

England's quickfire double shocks Spain at Wembley

Mikel Oyarzabal secured the winner for Spain with sixteen minutes remaining, netting a close‑range finish that sealed a 3‑2 victory.

Gordon backs Tuchel

Gordon was withdrawn for Morgan Rogers with twenty minutes left, a decision that attracted criticism from supporters. The winger explained he felt fatigued, having covered a lot of high‑speed distance, and welcomed the manager's choice.

He added that he wants more assists and to excite viewers, but felt the substitution was right on the night. Gordon insisted the gap between England and Spain is small, describing the penalty miss as a massive momentum shift and praising Spain as the best in the world.

Reflecting on the match, Gordon called it a rollercoaster and a great spectacle for fans, noting Spain's possession dominance at 3‑2. The Getty photograph captures the intensity of the encounter.