England would have ended Spain’s formidable 39-game unbeaten streak and claimed victory at Wembley if Harry Kane hadn’t missed a penalty, according to manager Thomas Tuchel.
After an action-packed Nations League game which saw world champions Spain edge out England 3-2, Tuchel reflected on a defining missed opportunity from 12 yards.
England endured a nightmare start inside 104 seconds when Marc Guéhi was stripped of possession under pressure from Lamine Yamal, allowing the Barcelona teenager to surge through and coolly lift the ball over James Trafford.
Yet, the Three Lions mounted an impressive comeback before the break. A sweeping counter-attack finished by Anthony Gordon brought England level, before Kane’s header diverted in off Marc Cucurella to turn the game on its head.
The pivotal moment arrived early in the second half. After Jude Bellingham was brought down by Rodri, Kane slipped as he struck his spot-kick, inadvertently hitting the ball twice as it rattled against the underside of the crossbar.
Spain capitalised on the reprieve, levelling through Álex Baena following an error deep in England territory before Mikel Oyarzabal struck late to secure the win.
England boss Tuchel, speaking to ITV Sport, said: “It was a terrible start, the worst start possible.
“It makes it so, so difficult to be behind against this type of team. After 10-12 minutes, I think we were the better team. We dominated in the opponent’s half.
“We created and scored two goals, and had our best 15 minutes after the whistle. We couldn’t convert the penalty – I think then maybe Spain would have believed that their long run of unbeaten games ends here.
“Another big, big mistake for 2-2. The third goal, was the only goal they really scored. It just is what it is. We have to keep going and learn from it. Take what is positive and take the points back to the Czech Republic.”
Gordon was central to England’s best moments in the first half, linking neatly with Elliot Anderson and Bellingham to slot past Unai Simón, before feeding Nico O’Reilly in the build-up to England’s second.
Asked if Gordon’s goal embodied the style England should strive toward, Tuchel downplayed the notion while praising the execution on the break:
“No, the Anthony Gordon goal was a counter-attack.
“The top transition goal we scored, we scored amazing goals and could have created more if we were a bit more clinical in the last 20 metres.
“We had an incredible amount of ball wins. We couldn’t convert enough into chances and goals, otherwise we would have won the match.”
Tuchel also offered a balanced assessment of Gordon’s overall display on the wing:
“Good performance. With ups and downs. Like the team, it is a team sport.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
