Spain start strongly in Nations League duel at London's Wembley
Spain celebrated a convincing start to the football Nations League in the sold‑out Wembley Stadium in London, beating England 3‑2 on Saturday and remaining unbeaten after 39 international matches in regular time. The Spanish side applied high pressure from the outset and used early chances to force the hosts into defence.
Goals and match timeline
Lamine Yamal opened the scoring already in the second minute, converting the ball with an inside‑foot after a mis‑pass from Marc Guehi to make it 1‑0. Alex Baena doubled the lead in the 60th minute after a cross exchange from Ferran Torres to make it 2‑0, followed by Mikel Oyarzabal, who in the 74th minute with a lob set the final score to 3‑0. England got back into the game through Anthony Gordon in the 36th minute and Harry Kane in the 40th minute, so it was 3‑2 shortly before halftime.
Second half and decisive moments
Thomas Tuchel had James Trafford in goal, but he had to give up the ball after just under two minutes, having been unable to hold a shot from Yamal. The English tried to turn the game around, with Gordon playing the ball with his heel to Jude Bellingham, who however did not create a chance for Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón.
Kane used a headed pass from Gordon, but only hit the post, while a failed clearance attempt by Marc Cucurella deflected the ball into his own net.
De la Fuente praises Spanish comeback in Nations League duel
After Yamal lost the ball again in the 42nd minute, the Three Lions managed to win it back, but Fabian Ruiz missed the equalising chance in the 43rd. The English pressed on, a header from Jarell Quansah went over the goal, and a disputed duel between Rodri and Bellingham led to a missed penalty in the 54th. Despite several crosses from Cucurella that hit the bar, Spain retained control and did not allow any clear scoring opportunities.
Ferran Torres scored in the 8th minute with a volley that narrowly missed an offside position and set up the second Spanish goal. Two further off‑side attempts by Torres in the 16th and 27th minutes were unsuccessful, as was a shot from Dani Olmo in the 34th minute.
The victory means that Spain remains unbeaten after regular time, while the last defeat against Colombia on 22 March 2024 is already recorded. This solidifies the team's position in Group A3 and it looks confidently to the upcoming Nations League fixtures.