Spain maintained its unbeaten run in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday, defeating the Czech Republic 3–1 in Oviedo. The reigning world and European champions controlled large stretches of the match through early goals from Lamine Yamal and Rodri, though a late surge from the visitors tested the defense before Mikel Merino secured the result in the final minute.
Yamal and Rodri Build a First-Half Lead
Spain opened the scoring inside the opening minutes when 19-year-old forward Lamine Yamal collected a pass near the edge of the penalty area, dribbled past a defender, and curled a shot into the far corner in the sixth minute. The early breakthrough set an aggressive tone for the hosts, who dominated possession and pressed the Czech defense throughout the first half. Captain Rodri doubled the lead in the 35th minute, scoring with an inside-of-the-foot shot from roughly eleven meters out after sustained pressure.
The defending champions made nine changes to their starting lineup compared to their previous victory against Croatia, retaining only Yamal and Alex Baena from the opening whistle. Head coach Luis de la Fuente opted to rest several regular starters, including goalkeeper Unai Simon, Marc Cucurella, and Mikel Oyarzabal, while Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz traveled home ahead of the match for the birth of his first child.
Czech Republic Claws Back After the Break
Following a first-half display that saw Spain create multiple scoring opportunities—including an effort by Olmo saved by goalkeeper Kinsky—the tempo shifted after the interval. Yamal was substituted at halftime for load-management reasons, with Victor Munoz entering on the wing. As Spain shifted into a lower gear, the Czech Republic capitalized.
In the 69th minute, Jiri Slama scored out of nowhere to cut the deficit to 2–1. The momentum shift created nervous moments for the home side. Czech Ondrej Lingr nearly equalized shortly after following a misplayed pass by Spanish goalkeeper David Raya, though his shot lacked the power to beat the defense.
Red Card and Merino Goal Secure Spain Victory
As frustration mounted, Czech captain Ladislav Krejci received a yellow card for protesting the disallowed equalizer, and was subsequently shown a yellow-red card in the 85th minute for a tactical foul on Roberto Fernandez, reducing the visitors to ten men.
Spain capitalized on the numerical advantage in the 89th minute. After Munoz drove forward on a solo run and was denied by Kinsky, substitute Mikel Merino reacted quickest in the penalty area to turn the rebound home for the 3–1 final score, eliminating any lingering doubts about the outcome.
Spain Leads Group 3 as Ryan Naderi Debuts
With the victory, Spain secured its third win in three matches in Group 3 of the Nations League, extending its unbeaten streak to 41 matches following regulation time. The result keeps the Iberer firmly at the top of the group standings.
For the Czech Republic, the match included the international debut of 23-year-old forward Ryan Naderi, a Dresden native who joined the Glasgow Rangers in February for a German third-division record transfer fee from Hansa Rostock and committed to the Czech national team days prior. Naderi is viewed as a prospective successor to Patrik Schick following the Bayer Leverkusen striker’s international retirement.
Spain concludes the current international window on Tuesday with an away fixture against Croatia in Split. The Czech Republic travels to London to face England at Wembley Stadium.
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