World champions Spain secured a dramatic 3-2 victory against England at Wembley on Saturday, extending their record-breaking unbeaten run to 39 matches. The Nations League clash saw the visitors battle back from a deficit to dampen the spirits of the home crowd, who were seeking a morale-boosting result following the team’s difficult World Cup exit.
Spain signaled their intent immediately in the second minute. After Marc Guehi failed to clear a ball safely back to goalkeeper James Trafford, teenager Lamine Yamal pounced on the error and curled a precise left-footed strike into the net. Spain dominated the opening stages, with Ferran Torres frequently threatening the England goal, though his efforts were thwarted by both the offside flag and timely saves from Trafford. And they could easily have been three goals down as silky Spain created multiple chances, thomas Tuchel’s men got off to a nightmare start when Lamine Yamal pounced on a gaffe by defender Marc Guehi. With an effort ruled out for offside and another shot saved by Trafford, in for longtime number one Jordan Pickford, ferran Torres was in the thick of the action. He also squandered a golden opportunity with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Despite the early setback, Thomas Tuchel’s side demonstrated resilience and offensive intent. England leveled the score in the 36th minute when Anthony Gordon capitalized on a swift counter-attacking move initiated by Jude Bellingham, slotting the ball past Unai Simon. Momentum shifted further in the home team’s favor just four minutes later as Harry Kane headed home a cross from Nico O’Reilly, which took a slight deflection off Marc Cucurella to put England ahead. And, with the atmosphere now totally changed, England were in front when Kane rose to head home.
The second half began with high stakes when a VAR review awarded England a penalty following a foul by Rodri on Bellingham. However, a slip from Kane during his run-up caused his spot-kick to rattle the crossbar, denying England the chance to build a commanding two-goal cushion. Crashing his shot against the bar, kane had a golden chance to give England a two-goal cushion from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half but slipped slightly.
Spain took full advantage of the let-off. On the hour mark, Alex Baena leveled the game after intercepting a loose pass from O’Reilly to Dani Olmo. The turnaround was completed shortly thereafter when Baena turned provider, setting up Mikel Oyarzabal to dink a clever finish over Trafford.
The defeat serves as a blow for Thomas Tuchel, who oversaw a nervous start from his defenders. While the manager insisted the match did not mark a new beginning for his squad, the defensive lapses against a clinical Spanish side highlight ongoing challenges for the team.
This win reinforces Spain’s dominance as the reigning European champions. Having successfully transitioned from their victory in the Euro 2024 final against the same opponent, the team continues to set the benchmark for European football with their expansive and high-pressure style of play.
