Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
After their roller-coaster match at Wembley that could have gone either way before the visitors snatched a 3-2 win, England and Spain enjoyed calmer second ties in the UEFA Nations League, easing to victories that put both in line for a quarter-final spot.
Spain defeated Croatia 4-1 in Seville on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), with Lamine Yamal starring. The Barcelona teen scored two and made one, for Marc Pubill, before substitute Nico Williams added the late fourth.
England were more tested by the Czech Republic in Prague until Pavel Sulc was given a 26th-minute red card following a VAR review for a late and high tackle on Elliott Anderson.
The Czechs battened down the hatches and saw out the half, but soon after the break Trent Alexander-Arnold, making his first start under Thomas Tuchel, crossed for Anthony Gordon to head in.
Harry Kane, whose missed penalty at 2-1 cost England at the weekend, pounced on a loose ball to drive in his 87th England goal in the 69th minute and the contest was effectively over.
Bournemouth’s Alex Scott made his England debut, and Liverpool teen Rio Ngumoha his competitive bow.
“Strange to get an early red card, not the best for the team and spectators,” England manager Tuchel told ITV.
“It’s an awkward one, but we kept going, got a win and that’s what counts.”
Spain now top Group A3 with six points from their two wins, while Croatia and England, who meet in Rijeka on Saturday (local time), have three points each.
In the second-tier Group B1, new Scotland coach Sebastien Pocognoli is still awaiting his first goal after the side’s scoreless draw in Slovenia was followed by a 3-0 home loss to Switzerland.
Jack Hendry’s 12th-minute red card, given for hauling down Nottingham Forest’s Dan Ndoye on the edge of the area, was a bad start for the 39-year-old Belgian coach, and it got worse when veteran Ricardo Rodriguez curled in the subsequent free kick.
In the second period Leeds’ Nico Elvedi and Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni secured the win, both set up by Ndoye.
In the group’s other game, Slovenia beat North Macedonia 2-0 to move into second behind the Swiss.
In Group C1, Finland and Belarus drew 0-0, while Albania won 3-0 in San Marino.
Moldova were held to a 1-1 draw at home to the Faroe Islands, and Slovakia beat Kazakhstan 2-1 in Group C3.
In Group C4, Iceland were 3-0 winners in Luxembourg, and Estonia drew 1-1 in Bulgaria.
The Nations League, a biennial tournament featuring promotion and relegation, and a finals series for League A, also serves as part of qualification for Euro 2028.
– with Reuters
