SPAIN 2 – 3 England
Thomas Tuchel seems to have made the almost impossible job of going toe-to-toe with the World Champions even harder by dropping his best and most effective goalkeeper for this game, given that securing top spot in Group 3 is supposedly his aim. To do that requires a convincing win for England.
But realistically, both teams have qualified for the next stage of this Uefa Nations League, so the match may not have the bite and intensity that has been hyped up in the pre-match blather. Appart from Pickford on the bench, no other Everton players are involved tonight.
First Half
England started with some brilliant attacking football, Gordon releasing Rice whose attempted cross was forced behind for an early corner. And that went over Kane but Bellingham sidefooted it goalwards and Simon, with a pure reaction save, batted it away, Gordon’s low goalbound shot was blocked behind. Simon had to punch the next corner clear.
Good pressing from England got the ball free for Kane whose shot screwed narrowly wide. It had been a fantastic start from England… but they had nothing to show for it, and they slowed it down to walking football pace after a frenetic opening 10 minutes. Spain looked to respond but they couldn’t get forward, and Hall was next to embarrass them with a brilliant run and cross that won a corner. Kane came in to head down but the wrong side of the post as referee saw a foul on a Spain defender.
Yamal got a really soft free-kick with Hall again chasing him. Spain were increasingly taking control after a very rocky start. But a quick turnover fell nicely for Bellingham who could only drill it into the side netting.
Trafford booted the ball out of play near the half-way line but Hall had been fouled challenging for it. Rice had a chance to set up something from a free-kick but over-hit it straight to Simon. Gordon stole the ball but Rodgers’s cross was headed back to Simon and Spain launched an attack, Yamal unleashing a fearsome shot that flew over the angle of Trafford’s goal.
England got another decent free-kick but it was completely wasted by Hall. A brilliant pass out by Simon, along the ground to pick out Baena, almost set up a good chance for Spain but Hall cleared. Kane drew the penalty after a brilliant forward pass by Anderson that caught Cucurella with the follow-through… but the penalty call stood, and Harry Kane converted it superbly.
Another example of dreadful distribution from Trafford gifted the ball to Spain. And England went in ahead at the break.
Second Half
England were leading at half-time against Spain the last time they played… and we all know how that turned out. Will England just defend their lead? Or will they keep up the pressure on their illustrious hosts?
England tried to keep possession and advance but a really poor pass from Bellingham gave Spain the ball early on. But England were up for it, a brilliant piece of play out from the back saw Rodgers caught by Cucurella for a yellow card. Bellingham did better, striding forward and forcing a corner. And a fantastic pick out from Rice saw Ezri Konsa in alone and completely unmarked to head it down and into the Spanish net.
Another bit of real quality from Bellingham took the ball forward and won another corner but Simon came out to claim this one. But in the next attack, England just tore through the middle of Spain, Bellingham’s final ball out to Ben White was drilled into Simon’s net. Astounding from England!
Good work by Gordon won another corner but Simon was out to claim it quickly. And Konza had the ball stolen off him by Yamal, possibly a foul, who then galloped forward and went down like a bag of Spanish onions when he felt Anderson’s hand on his shoulder. An immediate red card for Anderson — extremely harsh, and totally bought by Yamal’s cheating — and a penalty for Spain, converted easily, Trafford going the wrong way.
That spiced things up for the last 25 minutes… Spain upped the pressure, won their first and second corners, almost scoring, with Trafford making a solid stop to the shot that was straight at him. Another Spain attack after Gordon was robbed, and Nico Williams fired it easily past Trafford.
In the next Spain attack, Trafford had to make a double save as the pressure on the 10 men was unrelenting. But another rubbish goal-kick from Trafford went straight out, giving possession back to Spain. England had to hang on for 4 minutes of added time. Two brilliant saves from Trafford, from Lopez and then Laporte, could well have ended Pickford’s England career — they were that good, as England did indeed hang on for a famous win.