UEFA Nations League 2019

Group A4

England 1 - Spain 2

England: Pickford; Joe Gomez, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Lingard, Dele Alli, Henderson (Dier 64’), Shaw (Rose 53’); Rashford (Welbeck 94’), Kane. 3-5-2.
Spain: De Gea; Dani Carvajal, Nacho, Sergio Ramos, Marcos Alonso (Iñigo Martínez 87’); Thiago (Sergi Roberto 80’), Busquets, Saúl Ñíguez; Rodrigo, Iago Aspas (Marco Asensio 68’), Isco. 4-3-3.

Goals:
1-0. 11. Rashford. Connected with Shaw centre and struck shot past De Gea.
1-1. 13. Saúl. Fired shot past Pickford after Rodrigo laid ball across area.
1-2. 32. Rodrigo. Turned shot inside near post from wide Thiago free kick.

Yellow cards: Henderson 18’, Shaw 42’, Stones 65’, Dani Carvajal 82’.

A great start for new coach Luis Enrique, Spain beating England 1-2 in Wembley stadium in the first match of UEFA’s new Nations League. The hosts took the lead in the tenth minute when Shaw and Rashford combined to beat their Manchester United team mate De Gea. However just two minutes later Saúl turned in Rodrigo’s cross to make it all square, and with half an hour on the clock Rodrigo himself made it two from a wide Thiago free kick. De Gea made a couple of good saves from Rashford after that, but with the game in injury time the keeper dropped the ball under a challenge from Welbeck, and the striker turned the ball in to the net. However the referee ruled out the strike, considering that De Gea had been fouled, and with the VAR system not used in this competition, the decision stood. Spain now go on to play Croatia next Tuesday, and if they win that they are already well placed for spot in next summer’s final.