Wembley had barely settled when Lamine Yamal struck, and it was still roaring long after Spain had completed a frantic 3-2 comeback against England in their opening Nations League match.
Key takeaways
- Spain won 3-2 at Wembley, two months after claiming their second World Cup title in the United States.
- Yamal gave the visitors a second-minute lead before England responded through Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane before half-time.
- Kane missed the chance to make it 3-1 when his 54th-minute penalty hit Unai Simon’s crossbar.
- Substitutes Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal turned the game back in Spain’s favour.
- Oyarzabal scored the winner in the 74th minute with a delicate finish over James Trafford.
England’s response undone after the interval
Spain arrived in London as world champions but without the defensive control they had shown during their successful World Cup campaign. Their early advantage came through Yamal, who put the Roja ahead after only two minutes.
England recovered well and had Wembley behind them as the first half developed. Gordon levelled in the 36th minute, before Kane put Thomas Tuchel’s side ahead four minutes later.
The hosts could have created a two-goal cushion shortly after the restart. Kane stepped up for a penalty in the 54th minute, but his attempt struck the crossbar above Spain goalkeeper Simon.
Spain’s substitutes deliver the late reversal
That miss proved decisive. Baena, introduced from the bench, punished another England defensive lapse to bring Spain level on the hour mark.
Spain then found the final decisive moment 16 minutes from time. Oyarzabal, also sent on as a substitute, lifted the ball neatly over Trafford to restore Spain’s lead and seal a breathless victory.
It was an open, entertaining contest in which both teams showed vulnerability at the back. Spain began their Nations League campaign with a win, while England were left to reflect on Kane’s missed penalty and a match that slipped away after they had fought back from an early setback.
