World champions Spain secured a 4-1 victory over Croatia in Seville, with Lamine Yamal scoring twice to maintain Spain's perfect start in the UEFA Nations League.
Key facts
- •Lamine Yamal scored twice and provided an assist during the match.
- •Dion Drena Beljo recorded his first international goal for Croatia in his third appearance.
- •The match took place at Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán in front of approximately 3,000 Croatian supporters.
- •Spain remains undefeated in 40 consecutive matches following this victory.
- •Croatia is scheduled to host England at Rujevica on Saturday.
Spain defeated Croatia 4-1 in a UEFA Nations League Group A3 match held Tuesday at Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán in Seville. Lamine Yamal led the hosts with two goals, while Marc Pubill and Nico Williams also scored to secure the win. Dion Drena Beljo provided the lone goal for Croatia in the 28th minute.
By the numbers
Match Progression and Scoring
Spain opened the scoring in the second minute when Lamine Yamal finished a play initiated by Alejandro Baena and Marc Cucurella. Although Croatia struggled to gain possession early, they equalized in the 28th minute when Beljo headed in a cross from Ivan Perišić. The lead was short-lived, as Marc Pubill scored for Spain just three minutes later following a cross from Yamal. In the second half, Yamal extended Spain's lead to 3-1 in the 63rd minute after receiving a pass from Pedri. Substitute Nico Williams finalized the scoreline with a goal in the 89th minute.
Team Lineups and Strategy
Croatia manager Slaven Bilić implemented several changes to his starting lineup following the team's opening win against Czechia. The defensive line featured Josip Šutalo, Marin Pongračić, Joško Gvardiol, and Ivan Smolčić, who replaced the injured Josip Stanišić. Dion Drena Beljo led the attack, supported by Ivan Perišić, Marco Pašalić, and Petar Sučić. Spain’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, also rotated his squad, starting the match with captain Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Ferran Torres on the bench. Despite the changes, Spain maintained high possession and pressure throughout the match, extending their unbeaten run to 40 matches.
Timeline
- 2nd minuteLamine Yamal scored the opening goal for Spain.
- 28th minuteDion Drena Beljo equalized for Croatia with a header.
- 31st minuteMarc Pubill scored to restore Spain's lead.
- 63rd minuteLamine Yamal scored his second goal of the match.
- 89th minuteNico Williams scored the final goal for Spain.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Croatia Week, Al Jazeera, Total Croatia News.
