September 06, (THEWILL) – Spain’s UEFA Nations League A campaign began with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Serbia in Belgrade. The match marked Spain’s first game since winning the European Championship, but failed to live up to expectations.
Serbia started brightly, creating early chances on the counter-attack. Sasa Lukic, Ivan Ilic, and Luka Jovic all had opportunities but were unable to find the target. Spain gradually found their rhythm, with Martin Zubimendi forcing a save from Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic before half-time.
The second half saw both teams struggle to create clear-cut chances. Spain’s Fabian Ruiz and Robin Le Normand missed the target, while teenager Lamine Yamal had two attempts that failed to trouble Rajkovic. Nico Williams also saw his header saved by the Serbian keeper.
Despite dominating possession, Spain could not break down a resolute Serbian defence. The result extends Spain’s winless run to four games (three draws, one loss) and marks their first failure to score in 90 minutes since the 2023 Nations League final.
For Serbia, the draw provides encouragement as they successfully limited one of the world’s top teams to few opportunities. The result sets the tone for what promises to be a competitive Nations League campaign for both nations.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
