Spain 4-1 Croatia: Report, result and goals as Yamal steals the show in dominant win

UEFA Nations League,
League A – 2

Spain
ESP

4
–

1

Full Time

Croatia
CRO

Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán

Serdar Gozubuyuk

Lamine Yamal 2′
Marc Pubill 31′
Lamine Yamal 63′
Nico Williams 89′

Dion Drena Beljo 28′

Spain produced another impressive attacking display as they swept aside Croatia 4-1 in Seville, with Lamine Yamal scoring twice and providing an assist.

The reigning world and European champions made the perfect start when Yamal opened the scoring after just 70 seconds.

Spain worked the ball neatly down the left before Marc Cucurella and Alex Baena combined, with Baena’s clever pass eventually finding Yamal inside the penalty area. The Barcelona winger took a touch before calmly sweeping a left-footed effort into the far bottom corner.

Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic then kept his side in the game, parrying away Baena’s effort after another quick Spain attack before Cucurella’s follow-up was blocked.

Pau Cubarsi went close with a long-range effort before Croatia produced an unlikely equaliser in the 28th minute.

Ivan Perisic delivered an excellent cross into the box and Dion Beljo found space between Cubarsi and Dean Huijsen before heading into the top corner from close range.

Spain respond

Yamal took a short corner and exchanged passes with Fermin Lopez before floating a cross towards the back post. Marc Pubill rose above the Croatia defence and powered his header into the roof of the net to restore Spain’s lead in the 31st minute.

Spain thought they had added a third five minutes later when Fermin’s effort was spilled by Livakovic and Mikel Oyarzabal converted the rebound, but the striker was offside.

Fermin then came within inches of getting on the scoresheet himself before half-time, cutting inside in the penalty area and bending a low effort against the far post.

Croatia made a change at the break, bringing on Luka Vuskovic for the booked Marin Pongracic, but Spain continued to dictate the match.

Lamine Yamal was at the centre of almost everything dangerous for the hosts and grabbed his second goal of the evening in the 63rd minute.

Pedri threaded an intelligent pass through the left side of the Croatia defence, and Yamal raced into the area before squeezing a left-footed effort into the near post from an extremely tight angle.

Yamal received a standing ovation when he was replaced by Victor Munoz in the 68th minute, having produced two goals and an assist.

Croatia briefly threatened through Franjo Ivanovic, who cut inside and curled an effort narrowly wide, but Spain soon resumed control.

Pedri tested Livakovic from distance before Spain added a fourth in the 89th minute.

Mikel Merino played a first-time pass through the Croatia defence and Nico Williams did the rest, racing beyond Josko Gvardiol and finishing calmly in the one-on-one.

Luka Modric came on for the final nine minutes and received a standing ovation from the home crowd, but there was no late route back for Croatia.

The UEFA Nations League Table

Upcoming fixtures for Spain and Croatia

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