The world champions have extended their historic unbeaten streak to 41 games and remain perfect with three wins from three in their Nations League campaign as Spain beat Czechia 3-1 in Oviedo on Saturday night. Four Barcelona players started on the night and two of them found the net as Lamine Yamal and captain Rodri led the way in another good win for La Roja.
For the third straight game in this Nations League campaign, the game started with an early Lamine Yamal goal for Spain as the teenager curled an absolute beauty into the top corner to put the hosts in front.
The early goal allowed Spain to control the action and choose the right moments to step up their intensity, and they created several good chances that required good saves and last-ditch blocks by the Czech defense.
Rodri, Pedri and Dani Olmo started together in an all-Barça midfield and looked very good as a unit, combining multiple times in and around the box and generating real and constant danger.
And it was Rodri who doubled the lead with his first Spain goal in over two years after a scramble in the box created by a run from Pedri, and La Roja had a deserved lead at the break after dominating the opening 45 minutes.
Luis de la Fuente decided to rest Lamine Yamal at halftime and also took off Pedri and Olmo early in the second half, and a slightly weaker Spain side struggled to maintain the same level of dominance and creativity in the second half.
Czechia also played their part in making the game more complicated for Spain as they took more risks going forward, and the visitors got back in the game with a very good counter-attacking goal scored by Slama, and the Czechs even found the net for the second time but their equalizer was ruled out for a foul in the buildup.
Spain desperately needed a third goal to make sure of the win, and they found it on a counter-attack as Victor Muñoz’s shot was saved by the keeper and fired home on the rebound by Mikel Merino in the 89th minute. The visitors were down to 10 men by then as captain Ladislav Krejci received two yellow cards in quick succession, and Czechia were unable to find the energy to chase an unlikely comeback.
The final whistle came to end a match that was tougher than it needed to be for Spain given their first half dominance, but they were still the better team and deserved the win. Lamine scored another amazing goal, Rodri and Pedri were sublime, and La Roja remain unstoppable. What a team.
