Spain Stun England at Wembley: Oyarzabal Seals 3-2 Comeback Win
England’s hopes of a lionhearted Wembley victory were dashed as Spain came from behind to win 3-2, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring the winner. The Three Lions trailed after just two minutes when Lamine Yamal punished Marc Guehi’s slack possession, but roared back to lead 2-1 at half-time thanks to quickfire goals from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.
Spain could have been out of sight early on. Ferran Torres had a goal ruled out for offside, forced a fine save from Trafford, and then rolled a finish wide when clean through. England were living on the edge, but when they finally adopted a more direct approach, it reaped rewards. The excellent Gordon raced clear to beat Unai Simon with a cool finish after 36 minutes, before Kane added England’s second four minutes later, his header deflected in off Marc Cucurella.
However, it all came apart after the break. Kane had a chance to double England’s advantage from the penalty spot but slipped and rattled the crossbar. That miss proved costly as Spain pushed forward and eventually found the winner through Oyarzabal. The match ended 2-3, leaving England to rue their missed opportunities.
Despite the defeat, there was a significant positive for England: they performed considerably better than they did for much of the World Cup. The quickfire goals showcased their potential when adopting a direct approach, and Gordon’s performance was a bright spot. But the defensive lapses and Kane’s penalty miss will be a concern as they look to build on this display.
Shimanta Das 
