Sportsupdated 13m ago2 min read
England Beat Spain 3-2 at Metropolitano, Ending Spain’s 43-Match Unbeaten Run
“James Trafford was rushing out—would he have got to the ball anyway without Anderson’s tug?”
“A mistake by Anthony Gordon then allowed Yamal to tee up Nico Williams to make it 3-2”
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
England defeated Spain 3-2 in Madrid, ending Spain's 43-game unbeaten run. Harry Kane converted a late first-half penalty; Ezri Konsa and Ben White scored.
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Unbeaten run ends in Madrid
England ended Spain's 43-match unbeaten run with a 3-2 Nations League victory at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on Sunday night. Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot at 45 minutes, and Ezri Konsa doubled England's lead at 53 minutes before Ben White made it 3-0 at 57 minutes. Spain pulled back through Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty at 65 minutes and Nico Williams scored again at 75 minutes to make it 2-3.
BBC Sport player ratings highlighted that Elliot Anderson was being shown a red card after he was “trying to clear up Quansah's mess,” and it rated Anderson as “Desperately unlucky.” ABC framed the earlier context as Spain arriving with qualification for the quarterfinals already secured and with their unbeaten run at 43 matches, before the England result changed the group picture.
Anderson red, late surge
Spain “were close to securing the draw after goals from Oyarzabal and Nico Williams in the final minutes of the match, but it wasn’t enough to claim first place in the group.” The BBC ratings narrative highlighted that Elliot Anderson was “shown a red card in trying to clear up Quansah's mess,” and it rated Anderson as “Desperately unlucky.” Cadena SER described the comeback sequence, with Oyarzabal converting from the spot to make it 1-3 and Nico Williams scoring at 75 minutes after Lamine Yamal's pass.
El Confidencial said “Anderson's sending off dynamited the match,” and it added that Spain “came close to the draw, which ultimately did not arrive.” Eurosport wrote that Spain “were defeated at home by England (2-3)” after fighting back from 0-3 “shortly before the hour mark,” but they “could not level.”
Group stakes and quarterfinals
Spain and England both reached the Nations League quarterfinals, and RFEF said Spain “will be in the quarterfinals of the competition as group runner-up.” England “finish top of Group 3 ahead of La Roja in goal difference,” and England’s victory determined “seedings in March next year for the Final 8.” Spain’s unbeaten run ended after the 2-3 result, even though ABC had earlier said Spain’s next opponent would be England and that “both winning or drawing will suffice to take the lead in Group A3.”
Le Parisien said the match was the “sixth and final day of the group stage” and that the “main objective of the match is to finish first in Group A3,” while Spain instead finished second. BBC Sport’s ratings also reflected the match’s turning points, with Unai Simón rated after conceding three and Harry Kane rated for scoring the opening penalty and being “sacrificed following Anderson's red card.”