Spain started their UEFA Nations League campaign with a thrilling 3-2 win over England at Wembley, Mikel Oyarzabal once again decisive as the world champions prevailed in a rematch of the Euro 2024 final.
La Roja, playing their first game since beating Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final, made a flying start as Lamine Yamal pounced on a defensive error to open the scoring after just 104 seconds.
Yamal’s goal, the third-quickest England have conceded at Wembley, was followed by a succession of chances that threatened a rout in the first meeting between the two sides since the European Championship showpiece.
But a brilliantly worked goal from Anthony Gordon saw England level, before Harry Kane’s deflected header put the hosts in front.
However, the game turned nine minutes into the second half as Kane fluffed his lines from the penalty spot, sparking a Spain fightback as Alex Baena levelled matters once more.
And, as was the case in Berlin when Spain beat England 2-1 to win the European crown, substitute Oyarzabal had what proved to be the final say in the 74th minute, his composed finish giving Spain the points as they extended an unbeaten run that stretches back to a 2024 defeat to Colombia in London to 39 matches.
Three Lions rally after Spain’s early surge
Spain were gifted an opener as Manchester City defender Marc Guehi turned towards his own goal under pressure from Yamal and ceded possession to the Barcelona superstar.
Yamal surged through one-on-one with James Trafford and was clinical in lifting the ball over the Leeds United goalkeeper with an effort that went in off the post.
Ferran Torres appeared to have made it 2-0 in the ninth minute when he turned home from a Dani Olmo cross, only to be denied by the offside flag.
England continued to live dangerously, and were lucky to see Torres spurn two further chances to make it 2-0.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward was thwarted by Trafford after being played through on goal, and was then guilty of an awful miss following an excellently weighted pass from Rodri.
Yamal’s improvised flick teed up Olmo to fire across goal as Spain continued to push for a second, but his effort whistled narrowly wide of the far post.
And Spain were punished for their profligacy as England made the most of their first clear opportunity, equalising with a superb counter-attack.
Elliot Anderson played a wonderful pass into former Newcastle United team-mate Gordon, whose clever flick sent Jude Bellingham surging into space. Bellingham returned the favour by slipping the ball back to Gordon, and the Barcelona man rolled beyond Unai Simon with consummate ease.
Gordon was involved again as England completed the turnaround.
Nico O’Reilly collected his ball down the left wing and dug out an excellent cross, which Kane met with a header that Marc Cucurella inadvertently deflected into his own net.
Spain responded well to the game being turned on its head, with Fabian Ruiz unfortunate not to score the fourth goal of an engrossing first half as his drive was deflected just off target.
England pay penalty after Kane slip
Jarell Quansah headed over the crossbar and Aymeric Laporte was required to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Bukayo Saka as England made a strong start to the second half, which looked set to be rewarded when Kane was presented with the chance to double their advantage from 12 yards.
Referee Davide Massa initially waved away Bellingham’s appeals after he was tripped by Rodri in the area, but the Italian official pointed to the spot after being instructed by the VAR to consult the pitchside monitor.
Yet a loss of footing prevented Kane from making it 3-1, the Three Lions’ record goalscorer slipping as he made contact with the ball, accidentally kicking it twice as his effort crashed against the underside of the bar.
The pain of that miss was exacerbated as, shortly after a bad miss from Yamal, Baena whipped an exquisite finish into the bottom-right corner from the edge of the area after O’Reilly had wastefully conceded possession deep in the England half.
Saka curled narrowly wide as England sought to re-establish a lead, but a defence that never exuded solidity was undone again as Oyarzabal instead put Spain back in front.
Baena was again to the fore, the Atletico Madrid man collecting a Laporte pass and turning to play in Oyarzabal, who repeated his Euro 2024 heroics by lofting the ball over Trafford and settling an undulating encounter in the world champions’ favour.
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