Lamine Yamal’s sixth-minute goal for Spain against Czechia lit up the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere on Saturday night, as the world champions swept to a 3-1 UEFA Nations League victory in Oviedo. The 19-year-old cut inside from the right and curled a trademark left-footed strike into the far top corner, continuing his remarkable run of early goals for La Roja.
FAKTA
- Full time: Spain 3-1 Czechia — Yamal 6′, Rodri 35′, Sláma 70′, Merino late in the second half
- Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27, Group A3, matchday three
- Venue: Nuevo Carlos Tartiere, Oviedo — Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Red card: Ladislav Krejčí (Czechia), 85th minute, second yellow card
- Group A3 standings: Spain 9 points (three wins), England 6, Croatia 3, Czechia 0
- Unbeaten run: Spain have now gone 41 matches without defeat in all competitions
- Next match: Spain travel to Croatia on Tuesday, October 6
Yamal’s stunning goal sets the tone
Yamal collected the ball on the right, played a quick one-two with Dani Olmo and bent an unstoppable shot over debutant Czech goalkeeper Antonín Kinský and into the far corner. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente could only shake his head in admiration and disbelief as Pedri ran up to embrace the teenager by the corner flag.
It was Yamal’s third consecutive international with a goal inside the opening ten minutes — following second-minute strikes against Croatia in a 4-1 win and away to England in a 3-2 victory on September 26. The Ballon d’Or contender, with the award to be announced on October 26, now has four goals in his last three games for Spain, and he almost added another in the 12th minute when a delicate lob from 20 metres drifted just wide.
Rodri doubles the lead before the break
De la Fuente made nine changes from the side that thrashed Croatia and handed international debuts to full-back Iván Fresneda and striker Roberto Fernández, yet Spain’s rhythm barely flickered. Captain Rodri made it 2-0 in the 35th minute, reacting quickest to lash the loose ball into the roof of the net after Kinský had denied Pedri moments earlier. It was the midfielder’s first goal for Spain since Euro 2024.
Sláma replies before Krejčí sees red
Czechia came out fighting after the break. Adam Hložek broke down the left and rolled the ball to Jiří Sláma, whose angled drive beat David Raya in the 70th minute to make it 2-1. The visitors briefly thought they had equalised when Ryan Naderi fired home, but the effort was ruled out for a foul on Robin Le Normand. Any hope of a comeback ended in the 85th minute when defender Ladislav Krejčí was shown a second yellow card.
Merino seals a third straight win
With Czechia down to ten men, substitute Mikel Merino knocked in a late third to complete the 3-1 scoreline and keep Spain perfect in the group with nine points from three games. Yamal and Álex Baena had been withdrawn at half-time for Víctor Muñoz and Yeremy Pino, and de la Fuente admitted afterwards that the changes cost his side some sharpness. “We played well in the first half. In the second we lost continuity in our play,” he said.
The victory keeps the world champions — crowned in July after their extra-time final win over Argentina — three points clear of England at the top of Group A3 ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Croatia. Watan News readers can follow every match of the campaign in our sports section, with the full report of Spain’s 3-1 Nations League victory over Czechia available on the main site.
