Lamine Yamal scores twice as World Cup winners beat Croatia ۴-۱ in Seville

Lamine Yamal scores twice and assists another as Spain beat Croatia ۴-۱ in UEFA Nations League Group A۳.

Lamine Yamal scored twice as World Cup winners Spain extended their European record unbeaten run to ۴۰ matches.

La Roja maintained their perfect start to UEFA Nations League Group A۳ with a ۴-۱ home win over Croatia on Tuesday, while England overcame ۱۰-man Czech Republic ۲-۰ in Prague to leapfrog Slaven Bilic’s side into second.

In a repeat of the ۲۰۲۳ Nations League final, which Spain won on penalties, Croatia recovered from conceding an early goal to equalise but were unable to resist a Spanish side fresh from a ۳-۲ win over England at Wembley on Saturday.

Spain’s first home game since lifting the World Cup in July was preceded by Rodri parading the trophy on the pitch. The celebrations continued in Seville when Lamine, just as he did against England, opened the scoring in the second minute.

Alex Baena’s ball into the area was dummied by Fermin Lopez, and Lamine curled a first-time low shot inside the far post.

Baena then had an effort parried away by Croatia keeper Dominik Livakovic as Spain looked set to put the game out of reach early on, but the visitors drew level through Dion Beljo’s ۲۸th-minute header.

Spain took less than three minutes to retake the lead. Lamine whipped a cross into the six-yard box from the right wing and Marc Pubill powered a header beyond Livakovic.

Lamine scored his second and Spain’s third in the ۶۳rd minute, collecting Pedri’s pass in the box before drilling his shot into the net from a tight angle. Substitute Nico Williams wrapped up the win with an ۸۹th-minute goal.