-
Spain came from behind twice to beat England 3-2 at Wembley in the standout fixture, with Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal deciding a dramatic contest.
-
Switzerland made a statement with a 3-0 away victory over North Macedonia, while Croatia began their campaign with a 2-1 win over Czechia.
-
Albania and Slovakia both opened with 2-0 victories, defeating Belarus and Moldova respectively.
-
Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan were unable to find a winner as they played out a 1-1 draw.
September 26, (THEWILL) – The UEFA Nations League delivered a night of contrasting results as six matches produced goals, comebacks and early statements across the competition.
The biggest encounter took place at Wembley, where Spain twice came from behind before eventually defeating England 3-2 in a contest that had almost everything, an early goal, a dramatic penalty miss and a late winner.
Elsewhere, Switzerland made an emphatic start with a convincing victory away to North Macedonia, while Croatia, Albania and Slovakia also collected three points.
Spain 3-2 England: Yamal Leads Spain to Dramatic Wembley Win
Spain needed less than two minutes to make their presence felt at Wembley.
Lamine Yamal capitalised on a mistake from Marc Guehi before driving into the penalty area and curling his effort beyond James Trafford to give the visitors an early advantage.
England, however, responded strongly.
Anthony Gordon restored parity in the 36th minute after a quick counter-attack, before Harry Kane completed England’s turnaround four minutes later.
The England captain rose to meet Nico O’Reilly’s cross, with his header taking a deflection off Marc Cucurella before finding the net.
Spain refused to allow the hosts to carry their advantage into the closing stages.
Alex Baena equalised shortly after the restart, setting up a tense final half-hour.
England then had a golden opportunity to regain the lead when they were awarded a penalty.
Kane stepped up but slipped while taking the kick, sending his effort against the crossbar.
Spain punished the miss.
Mikel Oyarzabal produced a composed chipped finish to complete the comeback and secure a 3-2 victory for the visitors.
The result gives Spain an early boost, while England are left to reflect on a match in which they had twice taken the lead but ultimately failed to hold on.
North Macedonia 0-3 Switzerland: Visitors Make Early Statement
Switzerland enjoyed a considerably more comfortable evening than Spain, cruising to a 3-0 victory over North Macedonia in Skopje.
The Swiss controlled the contest and demonstrated the difference between the two sides as they secured three valuable points away from home.
The result represents an ideal start to Switzerland’s campaign and immediately puts them in a strong position as the group stage develops.
After their impressive run to the World Cup quarter-finals earlier in the year, Switzerland’s latest performance suggests they remain a difficult side to overlook on the international stage.
For North Macedonia, however, the heavy home defeat leaves them with plenty to address before their next fixture.
Czechia 1-2 Croatia: Dalic’s Side Begin With Away Victory
Croatia also began their campaign on a positive note after edging Czechia 2-1 in Prague.
The visitors had to work for their victory but ultimately did enough to return home with all three points.
For Zlatko Dalic’s side, the result provides an important early platform as they look to establish themselves at the top end of their group.
Czechia, meanwhile, will have to recover quickly after suffering defeat on home soil.
READ ALSO:
Albania 2-0 Belarus: Hosts Start With Comfortable Win
Albania enjoyed a winning start of their own, defeating Belarus 2-0 in Tirana.
The hosts controlled the match sufficiently to secure the three points without allowing Belarus to find a way back into the contest.
The clean sheet will also be encouraging for Albania, who can now build on the result as the Nations League campaign progresses.
For Belarus, the defeat means they will have to look elsewhere for their first points.
Slovakia 2-0 Moldova: Hosts Claim Three Points
Slovakia matched Albania’s result by recording a 2-0 victory over Moldova.
The home side took advantage of their opportunities and ultimately secured a comfortable opening-day victory.
The three points give Slovakia an early advantage in their group and provide the perfect foundation for the fixtures ahead.
Moldova, meanwhile, will need a response in their next outing if they are to avoid falling further behind.
Faroe Islands 1-1 Kazakhstan: Points Shared in Tight Contest
The only match of the night that failed to produce a winner saw the Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan play out a 1-1 draw.
Neither side was able to establish enough control to claim all three points, leaving them with a point apiece.
While the result does not provide either nation with the perfect start, both remain within touching distance of the leading positions at this early stage of the campaign.
What the Results Mean
Spain’s victory at Wembley is undoubtedly the night’s headline result.
After coming from behind twice, their 3-2 win gives them an important early boost and leaves England with plenty to consider after Kane’s missed penalty and Oyarzabal’s decisive finish.
Switzerland’s 3-0 victory was arguably the other major statement, particularly because it came away from home.
Croatia, Albania and Slovakia also have three points on the board, while the Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan will have to settle for a share of the spoils.
With the Nations League campaign still in its early stages, these opening results alone won’t decide any of the groups. But for Spain and Switzerland in particular, the opening night has provided an opportunity to lay down an early marker.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
