England 2-3 Spain: Kane Penalty Miss Proves Costly as Oyarzabal Wins Wembley Thriller
Spain came from behind to beat England 3-2 at Wembley after Harry Kane struck the bar from the spot, extending their unbeaten run to 39 games.
Spain showed why they are world champions with a comeback win at Wembley, beating England 3-2 in their UEFA Nations League opener on Saturday night (early Sunday morning in Malaysia). England led at half-time, but a missed Harry Kane penalty swung the game and Mikel Oyarzabal struck the winner with 16 minutes left.
How the goals went in
- 2' — Lamine Yamal (Spain): Spain scored almost immediately, the third-quickest goal England have conceded at Wembley in 70 years, according to Sky Sports.
- 36' — Anthony Gordon (England): Gordon finished a sweeping counter-attack after combining with Jude Bellingham.
- 40' — Harry Kane (England): The captain headed in Nico O'Reilly's cross to put England 2-1 up at the break.
- 60' — Alex Baena (Spain): Baena pounced on a rebound after an error from O'Reilly.
- 74' — Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain): The forward's goal completed the turnaround.
Spain also had an early Ferran Torres effort ruled out for offside.
The turning point
Shortly after the restart, England were awarded a penalty following a VAR check on Rodri's challenge on Bellingham. A goal would have put Thomas Tuchel's side two ahead, but Kane slipped as he struck the ball and it hit the crossbar. Within 15 minutes Spain were level, and they went on to take control of the rest of the match.
Selection talking points
Tuchel sprang surprises in his line-up. James Trafford started in goal ahead of Jordan Pickford, and Jarell Quansah was preferred at right-back to Trent Alexander-Arnold. Spain, by contrast, named a familiar, settled XI.
What the managers said
Tuchel felt individual errors cost his side. "Details matter on this level," he said, adding that "clear-cut mistakes were too high on our side." He also argued that England had done enough in their overall play to beat Spain.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was pleased with his side's control. "The game was under control most of the time, except for six to seven minutes, when England dominated us," he said.
What it means
The result extends Spain's unbeaten run to 39 matches and puts them on top of League A Group 3, which also includes Croatia and the Czech Republic. For England it is an early setback in a group where only the top finishers progress to the quarter-finals.
What's next
England's schedule is busy. Tuchel's side travel to the Czech Republic on 29 September, then face Croatia away on 3 October before hosting the Czech Republic on 6 October. Malaysian fans should note that European evening kick-offs typically land in the early hours of the morning here.
Key takeaways
- Spain beat England 3-2 at Wembley in the Nations League.
- Kane scored but also hit the bar with a second-half penalty with England leading 2-1.
- Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal scored for Spain; Anthony Gordon and Kane for England.
- James Trafford started in goal for England ahead of Jordan Pickford.
- Spain are now unbeaten in 39 games.
FAQ
Who scored the winner for Spain? Mikel Oyarzabal, in the 74th minute.
What happened with Harry Kane's penalty? Kane slipped as he took it and struck the crossbar with England leading 2-1 early in the second half.
Who do England play next? The Czech Republic away on 29 September, followed by Croatia away on 3 October.
Sources: Sky Sports, The FA (englandfootball.com), TNT Sports, NBC Sports, Outlook India