Monday, September 9, 2024

Nations League Recap | 10-Man Spain Dominates in Switzerland


  • European Champions Triumph 4-1 Despite Le Normand's Red Card
  • Croatia Defeats Poland; Northern Ireland Falls to Bulgaria

Nations League Recap: 10-Man Spain Dominates in Switzerland

Newly crowned European champions Spain cruised to a 4-1 victory over Switzerland in their Nations League Group A4 clash, despite being reduced to 10 men just 20 minutes into the game.


After a goalless draw against Serbia in their opener, Luis de la Fuente’s team quickly took control in Geneva. Early goals from Joselu and Fabián Ruiz within the first 13 minutes put Spain 2-0 up, but a red card for Robin Le Normand, following a foul on Breel Embolo, left them shorthanded. Switzerland’s Zeki Amdouni pulled one back before halftime, but as the hosts pushed for an equalizer late in the second half, Spain struck twice more on the counter. Ruiz grabbed his second, and substitute Ferran Torres added another to seal the win.

 

"One thing I always take pride in is the heart of this team," said De la Fuente. "Playing with 10 men, we managed the game masterfully. I’m incredibly proud of the team; we're growing and improving with each match."

 

Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji reflected on their defensive lapses: "The goals we conceded were unnecessary. There were communication errors, and they came too easily. We fought back well but lost our way in the second half, leaving ourselves open to counterattacks."

 

Spain now sit second in their group, trailing Denmark, who secured a 2-0 home win over Serbia.

 

Elsewhere in Group A1, Croatia's veteran star Luka Modric scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory against Poland. Scotland, still without points, remain at the bottom of the table after a late 2-1 defeat to Portugal.

 

In Group C3, Northern Ireland suffered a 1-0 loss to Bulgaria. In Group D1, Liechtenstein bounced back from a defeat against San Marino to earn a 2-2 draw in Gibraltar, thanks to a dramatic 104th-minute penalty equalizer.



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