Spain maintained their perfect start in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday by defeating ten-man Czechia 2-0 at the Letná Stadium in Prague.
The victory, which keeps the world champions atop Group A3, was achieved despite the absence of key players Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Mikel Oyarzabal, as “reported by Yahoo Sports.”
Conditions were challenging for the visitors, with the game played in 4°C temperatures accompanied by light drizzle and high humidity, according to the Spanish federation.
After a scoreless first half where chances were limited, the deadlock was broken when Lukáš Ambros was penalized for a handball inside the area.
Álex Baena successfully converted the resulting penalty to give Spain the lead, “noted the Yahoo Sports analysis.”
The physical nature of the match continued into the second half, leading to a red card for Krejčí, which left the hosts shorthanded for the final stages.
Spain capitalized on the numerical advantage deep into added time when Marc Pubill regained possession in the Czech half and scored to settle the contest.
This result marked the 12th consecutive victory for Spain and their fifth straight win in the current Nations League campaign, “per the match summary.”
With England defeating Croatia 2-1 on the same night, the two teams are now set for a decisive showdown at the Metropolitano on Sunday.
A draw in that final group match will be sufficient for Spain to secure the top spot in the standings.
Lamine Yamal, who missed his first game of the season due to a knee issue, is expected to return to the squad for the upcoming match against England.
The team remains unbeaten in all competitions since their last defeat against Colombia in March 2024, “according to the Yahoo Sports report.”
Czechia, meanwhile, has struggled throughout the tournament, having lost every Nations League game played this season.