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Lamine Yamal Shines with Perfect 10 as Spain Defeats Croatia 4-1 in Nations League
Amir Azimi
Daily News

Lamine Yamal Shines with Perfect 10 as Spain Defeats Croatia 4-1 in Nations League

Spain Overpowers Croatia 4-1 in UEFA Nations League

Lamine Yamal put on an unforgettable show, scoring twice and assisting once to help Spain dominate Croatia at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan. The young star opened the scoring just two minutes in, converting a precise delivery from Álex Baena.

Croatia briefly equalized in the 28th minute through Dion Drena Beljo's header after Ivan Perisic's clever setup, but Marc Pubill quickly restored Spain's lead three minutes later by heading home from a Yamal corner. Spain then controlled the second half, holding over 63% possession and stifling Croatia's midfield efforts. Yamal added his second goal shortly after the hour mark, and substitute Nico Williams sealed the win late on, pushing Spain to the top of Group 3.

Player Ratings

  • Unai Simon - 6/10: Had a quiet night with only two shots on target against him. He was beaten by Beljo's header but organized the defense well afterwards.
  • Marc Pubill - 8/10: Impressive attacking runs and defensive resilience. Scored Spain's second goal with a timely header.
  • Pau Cubarsi - 7/10: Displayed maturity beyond his age, managing physical threats intelligently and maintaining high passing accuracy.
  • Dean Huijsen - 7/10: Reliable in the air and calm under pressure, prevented significant Croatian chances despite one defensive lapse.
  • Marc Cucurella - 7/10: Energetic and balanced, supported attacks while preventing counterattacks on his flank.
  • Martin Zubimendi - 7/10: Served as the team’s tactical core, efficiently recycling possession and breaking up plays before being replaced by Rodri.
  • Fabian Ruiz - 7/10: Combined physical presence with technical skill, operating effectively in key spaces before giving way to Pedri.
  • Álex Baena - 8/10: Creative spark for Spain; assisted the opening goal and troubled the Croatian defense until substituted.
  • Fermin Lopez - 7/10: Hard-working and disciplined, narrowly missed a goal with a shot that hit the post before being replaced by Mikel Merino.
  • Lamine Yamal - 10/10: A flawless performance, terrorizing defenders with two goals and an assist, dominating the left flank throughout his time on the pitch.
  • Mikel Oyarzabal - 6/10: Played a selfless role leading the line, creating space for teammates though had a goal disallowed for offside.
  • Pedri - 8/10: Came on to immediately lift Spain’s creativity, assisting Yamal's second goal with ease through the midfield.
  • Mikel Merino - 7/10: Added toughness to midfield and set up Nico Williams’ late goal.
  • Nico Williams - 8/10: Impactful substitute who scored late to finalize the score.
  • Victor Muñoz - 6/10: Brought fresh energy to the wing and nearly scored with a header.
  • Rodri - 6/10: Took over midfield duties late, controlling tempo and wearing the captain's armband.
  • Luis de la Fuente - 9/10: Trusted youth in defense and maximized Yamal’s talents. His substitutions paid off with assists and goals, showcasing Spain’s strong squad depth.

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