Tag: Nations League

Ruben Neves scored the decisive spot kick after Alvaro Morata missed as Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in Munich on Sunday to claim their second Nations League title.

Portugal twice went behind in regulation time but twice fought back to level the scores.

“Our fighting spirit and togetherness were decisive today,” Bruno Fernandes, who converted his penalty, told RTL. “When we stay together like this, we’re very difficult to beat.”

After 21 minutes, Martin Zubimendi took advantage of some sleepy Portugal defence to put Spain in front.

The brilliant Nuno Mendes levelled things up five minutes later.

Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain’s goalscorer in the Euro 2024 final and the 2023 Nations League final, put La Roja back in front just before the break.

Cristiano Ronaldo, quiet as he had been before scoring the winner against Germany in the semis, equalised with 61 minutes gone, adjusting quickly after a Mendes cross was deflected into the air, muscling past Marc Cucurella and volleying the dropping ball home.

Ronaldo was subbed off before full-time with a cramp. Even though Portugal had the better of extra time, the match went to penalties.

Both sides converted their first three spot kicks. Mendes buried Portugal’s fourth, before Morata stepped up and shot straight at Diogo Costa.

Neves nervelessly converted in front of the red and green of the Portugal fans.

On the sidelines, Ronaldo could not watch the final penalty, burying his face in a teammate’s back. Once Neves converted, the Portugal veteran fell to his knees and was embraced by players and staff.

The victory was just Portugal’s second competitive win over Iberian rival Spain in their long history.

Portugal’s only other win over Spain in a competitive fixture was a 1-0 victory which booted the Spaniards out of Euro 2004, with a 19-year-old Ronaldo on the left wing.

Portugal became the first two-time winner of the Nations League, launched in 2018. It was Portugal’s third major title, along with Euro 2016.

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Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the match was “equal”.

“We did a lot well, but in football, sometimes things happen and the opponent is able to beat you,” he said.

While Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal’s fluid movement troubled the Portuguese defence early in the match, La Roja’s opener was scrappy.

Yamal chipped from outside the box, and the Portugal defence froze, botching a clearance which fell to Zubimendi, who leathered the ball into the net.

The goal was just rewards for Spain’s early dominance, but Portugal hit back almost immediately.

Mendes, put through by Pedro Neto, drilled a low shot across the goal and in.

Just before halftime, Spain picked Portugal’s pocket in their own half before advancing. Pedri linked with Oyarzabal, who threaded the ball past Diogo Costa.

Oyarzabal’s goal meant he has scored in three international finals — against England at Euro 2024, which Spain won, and the 2023 and 2025 Nations Leagues, which Spain lost.

Ronaldo had done little other than encourage the heavily Portuguese crowd until that point, but would pick his moment to strike.

With 61 minutes gone, Mendes shed a defender and whipped in a cross. The ball took a deflection and Ronaldo outmuscled Cucurella before lashing a volley home.

The goal was Ronaldo’s fourth in 10 matches against Spain. The previous three all came in a wild 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup.

Limping in the dying stages of regulation time, Ronaldo fell to the turf with three minutes left and signalled to the bench that his night was over.

Spain may have been confident when the match went to extra time, having won on penalties in 2023, but Portugal were faultless, Neves stepping up and converting to send his teammates, including a hobbled Ronaldo, streaming onto the pitch.

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Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart on Thursday, to set up a Nations League final with Portugal.

Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defence to ribbons.

Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the scoresheet for the Euro 2024 champions.

Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal.

France’s three late goals — a Rayan Cherki screamer, a Spain own goal and a stoppage time strike from Randal Kolo Muani — were not enough.

Lamine Yamal, still just 17, said Spain “deserved to win.”

“It was a great game — at the end it was a little too close, but we played very well,” he added.

Spain held on to book an all-Iberian Nations League final against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in Munich, while France will face hosts Germany in Stuttgart for the bronze medal earlier in the day.

A smiling goalscorer Merino told DAZN: “It was a crazy game. Not the best game for the coaches — nobody wants to concede so many goals — but an amazing game for the fans.

“We’re going to remember this one for a long time.”

Returning to Germany, where they won the European Championship in dominant fashion a year ago, Spain seem an even more complete team, despite their late fadeout.

France were more dangerous in the opening stages, with Didier Deschamps electing to channel his attack through Ousmane Dembele rather than Mbappe.

Dembele, fresh from Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph, created an early chance for Mbappe, but the Real Madrid superstar wasted it, electing to pass rather than shoot when one-on-one with the ‘keeper.

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Minutes later, Spain escaped again as Theo Hernandez’s long-range effort shaved the top of the crossbar.

Spain made France pay soon after, when Williams and Oyarzabal, La Roja’s two goalscorers in the Euro 2024 final, linked up with 22 minutes played.

After a tear down the right, Lamine Yamal threaded it to Oyarzabal, who held off three defenders with his back to goal before finding Williams, who rifled his shot into the top of the net.

Spain grabbed full hold of the match just three minutes later when Oyarzabal dinked the French defence, allowing Merino to collect and hammer past an off-balance Maignan.

France had the better chances later in the half, with Dembele finding space in the box three times, only to blast straight at a grateful Unai Simón.

Just before half-time, the narrowest of offsides robbed Spain of what would have been an incredible third.

In a clearly rehearsed free-kick play, Yamal found Martin Zubimendi behind the lines, who cut it back for Huijsen.

The second half played out like the first, with France missing two big chances before Spain again scored a quick-fire double.

With 54 minutes played, Lamine Yamal won and converted a penalty, taking the ball from Williams before calmly slotting home.

France were reeling, but Spain’s starlets had no sympathy, Williams setting up Pedri for a fourth just one minute later.

Mbappe won and converted a penalty with 59 minutes played, but Yamal stepped up again to snuff out French hopes of an unlikely comeback, scoring Spain’s fifth with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Spain made four changes as their thoughts turned to Sunday, allowing France to score two late consolation goals.

Substitute Cherki scored a long-range effort and then forced Spain into conceding an own goal through Daniel Vivian.

Kolo Muani’s goal came in the fourth minute of stoppage time to cut the deficit to one, but France had left their comeback too late, as Spain held on.

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Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Germany in Munich on Wednesday, sending Portugal through to the Nations League final and breaking his run of bad fortune against the Germans.

Ronaldo’s 68th-minute tap in, a record-extending 137th international goal, sealed a first win over Germany after five losses, the 40-year-old’s longest streak against any national side without tasting victory.

After a stuttering first half, Florian Wirtz produced a moment of magic to give Germany the lead three minutes after halftime, starting and finishing a clever burst through the middle and heading in the opener.

Portugal’s Francisco Conceicao ran 35 metres to score a brilliant solo goal, levelling things up with half an hour remaining.

Conceicao’s goal was a fitting tribute to his father Sergio, who scored a hat-trick the last time Portugal beat Germany in a 3-0 win in 2000.

The stage was then set for Ronaldo, who had missed two solid chances earlier, to land the telling blow, turning in a Nuno Mendes pass from close range.

Portugal, winners of the inaugural Nations League in 2019, will now face either European champions Spain or France in Sunday’s final at the same venue.

Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva celebrated Ronaldo’s relentless desire to play and win.

“It’s never easy — I don’t know how old he is, I think he’s like 40 — to still be hungry to go on every day,” said Silva. “We’re very happy to have him with us.”

Portugal had four players backing up from winning Saturday’s Champions League final — and the ensuing celebrations — but it was Germany who struggled to find rhythm early.

The match started 10 minutes late due to a violent storm, which left hailstones scattered across the turf.

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Aleksandar Pavlovic mislaid several passes while Portugal’s approach of pressing Jonathan Tah almost paid dividends, with the defender insecure in possession.

Ronaldo, greeted by Portuguese cheers and German boos every time he came near the ball, almost scored the opener six minutes in, but his shot was claimed by old La Liga sparring partner Marc-Andre ter Stegen, playing his first match for Germany since September 2024.

Germany’s best chance of the opening half fell to debutant Nick Woltemade with 18 minutes gone, but the 1.98-metre-tall striker’s low shot was well saved by Diogo Costa.

Ronaldo was inches away from giving Portugal the lead when the visitors broke immediately after halftime, but he was unable to get enough of his boot on a clever Nuno Mendes cross with an open goal beckoning.

Germany took less than a minute to punish the miss. Wirtz tiptoed down the left side, attracting three defenders before laying off for Joshua Kimmich.

The German captain chipped it over the Portugal defence and back to Wirtz, who expertly guided a low header into the bottom right corner.

Both sides made three changes on the 60-minute mark, but it was Roberto Martinez’s substitutions that had the telling impact.

Five minutes after coming on, Conceicao shed Robin Gosens with a shimmy near the halfway line and advanced goalwards before unleashing a superb curling shot past the desperate fingers of Ter Stegen.

Ronaldo then put Portugal in front, nervelessly tapping in a Nuno Mendes pass to make up for his previous misses – his 137th goal for Portugal in his 219th international.

Munich-born Karim Adeyemi rattled the crossbar with eight minutes remaining, but Germany could not find an equaliser and will need to be content with a third-placed match in Stuttgart on Sunday.

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Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal staged a second-half supershow to crush Poland 5-1 and reach the Nations League quarter-finals on Friday.

Portugal joined France, Germany, Italy, and Spain in the quarter-finals of the Nations League, while the hopes of Poland to advance were ended.

Having struggled to plant a shot on target in the first half, Portugal stepped on the accelerator after the break.

Rafael Leao broke the deadlock in Porto just before the hour mark after starting and finishing the move.

The AC Milan striker raced away and passed to Nuno Mendes whose cross from the left was headed powerfully past Marcin Bulka in the Portugal goal.

Thirteen minutes later, skipper Ronaldo got his name on the scoresheet, converting a penalty after Jakub Kiwior was penalised for a handball in the area.

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Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes made it 3-0 in the 80th minute, scoring after a clever run by Vitinha.

Pedro Neto added the fourth three minutes later after Ronaldo’s fine pass which left the Polish defence stranded.

As Polish spirits sank, Ronaldo added his second and Portugal’s fifth in the 87th minute with a spectacular overhead kick before Dominik Marczuk tucked away a consolation goal for the visitors.

Poland had enjoyed the better chances before falling behind but their potency in front of goal was blunted by the absence of record goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski who was sidelined with a back injury.

Moments before Leao’s goal, Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa pulled off a fine save to deny Marczuk having also been alert to deny Nicola Zalewski in the first half.

Portugal’s best chance in the first 45 minutes had fallen to Ronaldo who fired a close-range effort over the bar from close range.

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Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco named his squad on Friday that will take on Italy and France in the Nations League, with Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne missing out due to injury.

The 33-year-old midfielder had left the question of his international future somewhat up in the air but told Tedesco that he would still be available for selection for the next two years.

“I had a long telephone talk with Kevin where, first of all, now he is injured but in general he is very motivated to continue to be with us and to play also the World Cup,” said the Italian coach.

“He asked me to be out for this camp and for the November camp to take care of his body.”

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Napoli star Romelu Lukaku’s name was also missing from the list of 23 as Tedesco decided to rest the striker and allow him “to work individually” as he settles into life in the southern Italian club, which he joined in late August.

Belgium will play Italy in Rome on October 10, before travelling to Brussels to face France four days later.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al Qadsiah/KSA), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Maarten Vandevoordt (RB Leipzig/GER)

Defenders: Sebastiaan Bornauw (Wolfsburg/GER), Timothy Castagne (Fulham/ENG), Zeno Debast (Sporting Portugal/POR), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Bruges), Wout Faes (Leicester/ENG), Matte Smets (Genk), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Francfort/GER), Koni De Winter (Genoa/ITA)

Midfielders: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta/ITA), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa/ENG), Orel Mangala (Lyon/FRA), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa/ENG), Arne Engels (Celtic/SCO), Malick Fofana (Lyon/FRA)

Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV/NED), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City/ENG), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla/ESP), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig/GER), Cyril Ngonge (Naples/ITA), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal/ENG)

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Dani Carvajal chipped home a Panenka penalty to win Spain the Nations League on Sunday, with a 5-4 shoot-out victory over Croatia, after a tense match finished 0-0 following extra time.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon denied Lovro Mayer and Bruno Petkovic from the spot, before Carvajal cheekily chipped home to earn La Roja their first trophy since Euro 2012 and break Croatian hearts.

Zlatko Dalic’s side, runners-up at the World Cup in 2018 and third in 2022, have never won a major trophy and were hoping Nations League success would cap a glittering international career for captain Luka Modric, who played his 166th international game.

The victory is a confidence boost for new Spain coach Luis de la Fuente after heavy criticism in March after a defeat by Scotland in Euro 2024 qualifying. It also avenged their 2021 final defeat by France.

“For us it was a unique opportunity, we went out early in another tournament (at the World Cup in Qatar) and today we had to take advantage,” Real Madrid defender Carvajal told Spanish broadcaster TVE.

“We had confidence with the penalties and it went well, I knew how I was going to shoot it, and I knew I was going to be sixth… I wanted to take it Panenka style and it went well.”

Dalic warned over 25,000 Croatian fans were expected to travel to Rotterdam and they filled the majority of the stadium, De Kuip a sea of red and white checkered squares, save for a modest area of Spanish fans.

The Croatians chanted Luka Modric’s name in the 10th minute, matching his shirt number, a plea for him not to retire from international duty after the tournament, as had been rumoured.

On the pitch, Spain made the early running, with Gavi drilling narrowly wide after pressing furiously to win the ball back.

Just when the game started to fall into a slight lull, under the pink haze of smoke from Croatian flares, Spain were nearly caught out by Josip Juranovic’s long ball over the top for Andrej Kramaric.

The striker ran through on Unai Simon’s goal but just as he pulled the trigger, Aymeric Laporte made a superb lunging block.

Despite 14 goals in the three preceding games, the first half finished goalless, just as in the prior two Nations League finals, won by Portugal and France in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

La Roja were unable to muster a shot on target in the first 80 minutes of an extremely tense battle.

Mario Pasalic headed wide before being replaced by Petkovic, who was Croatia’s semi-final star against the Netherlands — to the extent one Croatian newspaper described him as “Bruce Willis in football boots”. It did not prove the case this time.

Spain sent on their own semi-final match-winner in response, with Joselu replacing Morata, while Ansu Fati also entered the fray.

It was the young Barcelona forward who came closest to scoring in the 90 minutes for either side, with his low strike cleared off the line by the diligent Ivan Perisic.

Croatia appealed in vain for a penalty after Nacho tangled with Borna Sosa, and Spain substitute Dani Olmo, who spent six years with Dinamo Zagreb, hammered over as extra time continued in the same tight pattern.

With the sides inseparable, the match was decided on penalties.

After Simon denied Mayer, Aymeric Laporte had the chance to earn victory but hit the bar.

Athletic Bilbao stopper Simon flung himself to his right at full stretch to save from Petkovic and set the scene for Carvajal to spark Spanish celebrations.

They became the second country to have won the World Cup, Euros and Nations League, after France in 2021.

“We’re so happy, it was a really tough game and this is so difficult to do,” said Manchester City’s Champions League final goalscorer Rodri, man of the match.

“This generation promises a lot. We were very strong mentally. There are things to improve, but winning is always good — we have to celebrate.”

Croatia were left with the taste of disappointment yet again, but Dalic said another podium finish was a positive sign.

“We’ve won medals, one after another, that’s great — three medals is history, a really great thing to have achieved,” said Dalic.

“This shows that there is still lots of potential, we can do a lot.”

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ROTTERDAM: Bruno Petkovic and Luka Modric struck in extra time to fire Croatia into the Nations League final with a 4-2 victory over hosts the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Zlatko Dalic’s side, who reached the World Cup semi-finals last year, moved a step closer to earning their first-ever trophy and demonstrated once again they are extra-time specialists.

Andrej Kramaric and Mario Pasalic netted in the second half after Donyell Malen sent the Dutch ahead, but Noa Lang snatched a 96th-minute equaliser to force an additional half hour.

However Petkovic got away from Frenkie de Jong and drilled home from outside the box to decisively put Croatia ahead eight minutes into extra time, and Modric wrapped up the win with a penalty.

The Nations League represents one of the last chances for Croatia’s elder statesmen, including Real Madrid midfielder Modric, to taste international triumph.

“It’s a victory for the Croatian people, we beat the Netherlands in front of their fans, Croatia has one more medal — it’s impossible, unreal, but she deserves it,” Croatia coach Dalic told his country’s Nova TV.

“Nothing upset the team, they know what they are playing for, above all, Croatia. You endure everything for Croatia.

“This is one of our biggest victories, to win 4-2 on their ground, we were losing, we conceded in the 96th minute.

“Surely this is a victory which will go down in history.”

Croatia have only suffered one defeat in their last 16 matches, to World Cup winners Argentina, and quashed the Netherlands’ bid to win their first competition since the 1988 European Championship.

Ronald Koeman’s side finished as runners-up in the inaugural Nations League against hosts Portugal in 2019, while France triumphed in 2021.

“We fought like lions, but unfortunately it was just not good enough today,” Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk told Dutch broadcaster NOS.

“It’s very disappointing. We knew it would be difficult, but we actually did quite well.

“We conceded two penalties, we have to be better there, it’s hard to look for words now.”

Koeman selected Malen on the right of the attack, with exciting youngster Xavi Simons making his fourth appearance for the Netherlands on the left.

Both were involved in the opening goal, along with Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, as the Oranje burst into life after half-an-hour.

The match started sluggishly in the evening heat, both sets of players tired after a long season with the World Cup wedged in the middle.

After a tidy team move Feyenoord’s Mats Wieffer, playing in his club’s stadium De Kuip, fed Malen, who slotted past Dominik Livakovic — Croatia’s World Cup hero on their run to third in Qatar.

Croatia came out stronger in the second half, with Kramaric cutting inside from the left and firing wide of the far post.

Soon they were level, when 37-year-old Modric, earning his 165th Croatia cap, cleverly robbed Gakpo on the edge of the area, with the forward pulling him back to concede a penalty.

Kramaric stroked his spot kick down the middle as Justin Bijlow dived to his right to delight Croatia’s travelling contingent.

Further celebrations were in order when Luka Ivanusec crossed for Atalanta midfielder Pasalic to stab home from close range after 73 minutes.

Dutch defender Nathan Ake, who featured in Manchester City’s Champions League final win just five days ago, came close with an acrobatic effort before Lang pounced on a loose ball to level.

Croatia, who have beaten Brazil, Japan, England, Russia and Denmark in matches which have gone to extra-time at the last two World Cups, were nonplussed.

The Netherlands could not maintain parity for long, with Petkovic beating Bijlow at his near post.

Lang fired into the side netting when he might have equalised and Netherlands paid the price when Tyrell Malacia fouled Petkovic in the area and Modric converted the penalty to seal the win.

Croatia, who finished third in the 1998 and 2022 World Cups and runner-up to France in 2018, have their sights firmly set on their Nations League silverware.

“We have bronze and silver, let’s go for gold so that we can finish this story,” said Dalic.

Spain and Italy face off in Enschede on Thursday in the other semi-final of the Nations League.

BUDAPEST: Italy, who will miss a second consecutive World Cup, again found consolation in Europe as they won 2-0 in Budapest on Monday to edge Hungary for first place in their Nations League group.

Giacomo Raspadori, who scored the winner against England on Friday, poked the ball home after Wilfried Gnonto had pounced on a poor Hungarian back pass to give Italy the lead in the 27th minute.

“We needed these matches to restore enthusiasm, even if the World Cup remains an open wound and we can not go back,” said Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

“We have to start again, we have to do it for all of Italy.”

Hungary, who started the final round of games top of Group A3, fought hard but Donnarumma made two miraculous saves in quick succession in the 50th minute from Loic Nego and Adam Szalai.

Two minutes later, Federico Dimarco met a Bryan Cristante cross at the back post to smash in his first international goal and Italy’s 1,500th.

Donnarumma produced another outstanding to keep out a header from Callum Styles (55th).

Italy held on to follow the Netherlands and Croatia into the Nations League final four scheduled for June 2023.

“We were excellent for 70 minutes, the last 20 I didn’t like too much,” said Italy coach Roberto Mancini.

“We’re happy, it’s important to have reached the Nations League final four for the second time.”

Spain or Portugal meet on Tuesday to decide the last ticket for a chance to succeed France as champion.

Italy, who fell to a low point in March, less than a year after their Euro 2020 title, when they failed to qualify for the World Cup, have a another European final tournament to look forward to.

Hungary’s surprising run through the group had recalled some of the triumphs of the feats of the Magic Magyars of the 1950s.

They gained a first competitive victory over Germany since 1954 and a first win away to England since 1954 but still have not beaten Italy since 1955.

The defeat also brought to an end the international career of Hungary captain Adam Szalai, who had said he is retiring from international football at 34 and received an ovation as he went off after 75 minutes.

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PRAGUE: Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo was left covered in blood after a nasty collision with Czech Republic goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik on Saturday night.

The Manchester United forward went down in a heap after the mid-air collision in the 13th minute of the Nations League clash.

He was left bloodied, bruised and dazed on the turf.

Portugal stormed to a 4-0 win over the Czech Republic in its Nations League A-Group 2 match thanks to a Diego Dalot double and strikes by Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Jota.

The victory sets up a crunch clash for the Portuguese on Tuesday at home to Spain, which lost 2-1 to visitors Switzerland, knowing a draw will be enough to reach the final four.

Portugal leads the group on 10 points ahead of Spain on eight after five matches with one game left to play.

Ronaldo required medical treatment on the pitch but later returned with a bandage on his nose.

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ZARAGOZA: Switzerland earned a 2-1 win over Spain in the Nations League on Saturday in Zaragoza to drag Luis Enrique’s side off top spot in the group.

Portugal thrashed the Czech Republic 4-0 in the other League A Group 2 clash to move two points clear of Spain, whom they host on Tuesday in the final group match.

It was Spain’s first defeat in the group in five games, and one which exposed their defensive frailty from set-pieces.

Manuel Akanji and Breel Embolo both scored from Switzerland corners, either side of Jordi Alba’s strike.

“In two set-piece situations, which will be important at the World Cup, their goals arrived,” said Villarreal defender Pau Torres.

“We have to improve on that.”

Spain never looked comfortable in the game, a far cry from the team which reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals and were defeated on penalties by Italy.

As a result, they stumbled to their first loss on home soil since 2018, after 22 matches unbeaten.

Luis Enrique selected six Barcelona players in his starting line-up, including the regular midfield trio Xavi Hernandez utilises at Camp Nou, in Pedri, Gavi and Sergio Busquets.

Ferran Torres was another of the Barca clan, part of a three-pronged attack alongside Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio and Paris Saint-Germain’s Pablo Sarabia.

None of the three have enjoyed regular football with their clubs this season but were given Luis Enrique’s trust.

They did not repay it in the first half, with Spain anaemic in attack and asleep at the back when it mattered most.

“We were sluggish, no, worse than sluggish,” said Luis Enrique.

“We had the most imprecise first half of my reign as coach.

“(However) this defeat does not condition anything ahead of the World Cup, at all. It’s always good to arrive in form to a World Cup, but I have total faith in the team.”

Switzerland took the lead when Manchester City summer signing Akanji got the better of Cesar Azpilicueta in the air at a corner and nodded past Unai Simon in the 21st minute.

Spain struggled to create at the other end and Switzerland almost doubled their lead when veteran midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri cut through the defence and forced Simon into a smart save shortly before the interval.

The crowd grumbled, unimpressed at a drenched La Romareda stadium, in a city where Spain had not played since 2003.

Asensio had them out of their seats early in the second half when he created the Spain equaliser with an electric burst forward, before playing in Alba to finish clinically.

However, three minutes later Spain defended another corner poorly and Akanji’s flick-on was nudged over the line by Embolo to restore the Swiss lead.

Defending set-plays was a serious issue for La Roja at Euro 2020 and it clearly remains one as the World Cup approaches.

Luis Enrique replaced his entire forward line, with debutant Borja Iglesias drawing huge applause at his former hunting ground, while Nico Williams also earned his first cap, a day after his older brother Inaki Williams made his debut for Ghana.

Athletic Bilbao forward Williams almost forced the equaliser when his cross was turned towards his own goal by Silvan Widmer, but Yann Sommer reacted quickly to keep the ball out.

The goalkeeper produced another solid save, punching away substitute Marcos Llorente’s fierce drive as Spain began to threaten more.

Villarreal winger Yeremy Pino was bright on the right flank but even his spark fizzled out in the rain, and Sommer stayed alert until the end to deny Carlos Soler.

Luis Enrique’s side, the 2021 Nations League runners-up, must now overcome Portugal in Braga to reach next year’s finals.

“We have to beat Portugal now and make it to the final four,” said Spain’s goalscorer Alba, who has dropped behind Alejandro Balde and Marcos Alonso in the pecking order at Barcelona.

“I am grateful to the coach for keeping his confidence in me, and I just have to show that on the pitch.”

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