Spain does not start in the League of Nations
Luis Enrique’s men tie (2-2) with the Czech Republic with a goal by Iñigo Martínez in minute 91
MADRID, 5 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish soccer team had to settle for a draw (2-2) this Sunday against the Czech Republic on the second day of the League of Nations, within a Group 2 of the first division led by Portugal with their win (4 -0) to Switzerland.
Luis Enrique’s team has not finished starting in this new edition of the UEFA competition. Finalist last year, Spain drew against Portugal on Thursday and, in Prague, they failed a lot in defense and did not have enough success to score three points. Lusos and Czechs have 4 points, those of ‘Lucho’, 2, and Switzerland, 0.
Gavi was once again the best in Spain, at 17 years old, even scoring his first goal to become the youngest scorer in the history of the national team. The Barça player fixed the mess of the first half, where he sent the Czech team on the scoreboard from Pesek’s goal after five minutes.
It was the first of many times that Jaroslav Silhavy’s team played with the space behind the Spanish centre-backs. The locals kept well back after the 1-0 and Spain had a hard time reaching the rival goal. Gavi pulled the cart, as against Portugal, in the creation, and Sarabia had the closest thing to an opportunity.
Both Raúl de Tomás and Dani Olmo struggled to have the chance to see the door, but, like a magnet for the ball, Gavi appeared in the area to control and shoot, making it 1-1 just before the break. The resumption continued to frustrate the forwards of the ‘Roja’ and Luis Enrique moved the bench with Asensio and Morata, and before that Ferran had already entered with the start of the second half.
The Barça player was able to get oil with a backheel in a small area and Dani Olmo also approached dangerously. Spain at least reached the rival goal and Asensio found himself with the post recently jumped onto the field, on his return with the national team since November 2020. The Czechs also had their serious warning with Kutcha.
Spain neglected their back and, in another leaked ball between their central defenders, they conceded 2-1 in the 66th minute with a Kutcha who got even with Unai Simon from the previous one-on-one. Desperately, with Marcos Alonso added as a striker and another Ferran post, Luis Enrique’s men found Iñigo Martínez’s header on the buzzer.
The ‘Roja’, who changed eight players from the eleven against the Portuguese, saved the furniture in part, but left doubts, by conceding and forgiving also in the rival area, before being measured next Thursday against Switzerland in the third day of the League of Nations and, above all, five months before the World Cup in Qatar.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: CZECH REPUBLIC, 2 – SPAIN, 2. (1-1, at halftime).
–ALIGNMENTS.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Vaclik; Coufal, Zima, Brabec, Mateju, Zeleny (Jankto, min. 24; Havel, min. 46); Sadilek, Soucek, Pesek (Hlozek, min.59), Kutcha (Jurecka, min.78) and Lingr (Cerny, min.59).
SPAIN: Unai Simon; Carvajal, Eric Garcia, Iñigo Martinez, Marcos Alonso; Rodri (Busquets, min.61), Koke (Llorente, min.72), Gavi, Sarabia (Ferran, min.46), Dani Olmo (Asensio, min.61) and Raúl de Tomás (Morata, min.61).
–GOALS:
1 – 0, min.5, Sand.
1 – 1, min.45+3, Gavi.
2 – 1, min.66, Kuchta.
2 – 2, min.90+1, Iñigo Martínez.
–REFEREE: François Letexier (FRA). He admonished Coufal (min.92) for the Czech Republic. And to Rodri (min.58) in Spain.
–STADIUM: Sinobo.