Spain beat Czechia 3-1 to keep perfect Nations League start

Spain beat Czechia 3-1 in the UEFA Nations League, according to both Anadolu and the Guardian. Both outlets say the win maintained Spain's perfect start to the competition.

All other match details come from the Guardian alone.

According to the Guardian, the match was played at the Carlos Tartiere stadium in Oviedo, Spain's first visit there in 11 years. The newspaper reports that the result leaves Spain one point from the Nations League quarter-finals.

How the match unfolded

According to the Guardian, Lamine Yamal opened the scoring after 5 minutes 20 seconds. He curled a shot into the far corner after a one-two with Dani Olmo. The newspaper says it was the third consecutive game in which he scored inside six minutes. The earlier goals came after 104 seconds at Wembley and 70 seconds in Seville, in wins over England and Croatia.

Rodri made it 2-0 on 32 minutes after an exchange with Pedri, the Guardian reports. By half-time Spain had taken 13 shots to Czechia's one and had 70% of possession, according to the newspaper. Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena were withdrawn at the break.

Jiri Slama scored for Czechia in the 69th minute from an Adam Hlozek pass, the Guardian reports. Ondrej Lingr later shot wide of an unguarded goal after a misplaced pass by Spain goalkeeper David Raya.

In the 79th minute, referee Vassilis Fotias ruled out a Czechia goal that would have levelled the score. The Guardian says the decision was apparently for a foul on Robin Le Normand as the free-kick was delivered. Czechia's Ladislav Krejci was sent off shortly afterwards, according to the newspaper.

Mikel Merino scored Spain's third goal with two minutes left, the Guardian reports. It came after Czechia goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky blocked an effort from Víctor Muñoz.

Before kick-off, Rodri was presented with the World Cup by Santi Cazorla and Juan Mata, according to the Guardian, which describes Spain as world and European champions.

What each side says

• The Guardian quoted Spain manager Luis de la Fuente as saying: "Lamine Yamal is on course to become a legend." The reports do not say where or how he made the remark.
• In its own assessment, the Guardian's match report calls the decision to rule out the Czech goal harsh. It says Czechia probably deserved an equaliser for their second-half play.
• The reports do not include any statement from Czechia's players or staff.

What is not known

• The reports do not include an official explanation from the referee or UEFA for the disallowed goal.
• The Guardian gives the scorer of the disallowed goal as both Ryan Naderi and Ryan Nadel, so the correct name is unclear.
• The reports do not describe the reason for Krejci's sending-off or the minute it happened.
• The reports do not include group standings, points totals or attendance.

Analysis

Only the score and Spain's perfect start are reported by two independent outlets. The rest relies on a single account, so it should be read with that limit in mind. If the Guardian's report is accurate, Spain need one more point to reach the quarter-finals and could secure that in their next match, though this is not certain. The account also suggests a contrast between a dominant first half and a more contested second. The disallowed goal cannot be assessed without an official explanation. What the result means for Czechia is unclear, because the reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include group standings.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.