Spain extended their remarkable unbeaten streak to 42 matches on Tuesday, staging a second-half comeback to defeat Croatia 2-1 in Split. The result ensures Spain remains flawless in Nations League Group A3, guaranteeing their place in the tournament's quarter-finals. Despite dominating possession in the opening period, the European and World Champions found themselves trailing early after Ivan Perisic capitalized on a rebound from Unai Simon to put the hosts ahead in the 17th minute.
The match turned decisively in the final half-hour as Spain’s persistence finally broke down the Croatian defense. Mikel Merino leveled the score in the 61st minute after Dani Olmo intercepted a clearance, setting the stage for a tense finish. The momentum shifted further in Spain's favor when Perisic, who had been cautioned earlier, received a second yellow card in the 79th minute for a challenge on Marc Cucurella. With the match approaching stoppage time, Merino struck again, turning inside the box to secure the victory and maintain Spain's perfect group record.
Kane Leads England to Comfortable Victory
In the same group, England kept their qualification hopes firmly on track with a dominant 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic. The evening was particularly significant for Harry Kane, who equaled Peter Shilton’s England appearance record by earning his 125th cap. The veteran striker celebrated the milestone by extending his national scoring record to 91 goals, netting twice during a clinical performance that kept England three points behind group leaders Spain.
England took the lead in the 27th minute when Vladimir Coufal inadvertently turned an England cross into his own net. Kane doubled the advantage shortly before halftime, wrong-footing the goalkeeper following a swift attacking move. After hitting the crossbar early in the second half, Kane completed his brace by heading home a corner in the 57th minute. Reflecting on the performance, Kane described the result as a perfect night for both himself and the team, noting the high quality of football displayed by the squad.
Elsewhere in the Nations League, Scotland suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Slovenia despite an early opener from Ryan Christie. Meanwhile, Switzerland solidified their position at the top of their group in League B with a 3-0 win over North Macedonia, featuring goals from Fabian Rieder, Johan Manzambi, and Dan Ndoye.
