Not for the first time, as he is all too grimly aware, an England defeat hinged on a missed penalty by their usually so reliable captain.
asserted
defeat → hinge → captain
When Harry Kane slipped at the crucial moment, nudging the ball with his standing foot by accident, time slowed just for a few seconds, and the Bayern Munich man’s spot-kick bounced back off the bar.
England errors punished
In an open match, England scored two well-worked goals in the space of four blistering first-half minutes but were guilty, at the other end, of poor errors.
asserted
England → slip → errors
How unsurprising it was that some of them were ruthlessly punished by the best national team on the planet.
asserted
some → punish → planet
Marc Guehi was grimly unaware of the presence of Lamine Yamal when he turned on the ball after a minute and 45 seconds.
asserted
he → turn → minute
In no time, Yamal had nicked it and scored via the post for the opener.
asserted
Yamal → nick → opener
This was the first of four games in 11 days for England, and they will be pleased they get the chance to quickly put right the errors they made at Wembley.
asserted
they → get → Wembley
Another came when Myles Lewis-Skelly played the ball right to a Spain player and was fortunate they did not double their lead.
asserted
they → come → lead
There were shades of Enzo Fernandez’s equaliser for Argentina in the World Cup semi-final about the way Alex Baena was never convincingly closed down by men in white when shaping to shoot, and then did, scoring Spain’s leveller.
asserted
Baena → be → leveller
The centre-back positioning as Mikel Oyarzabal struck the winner was suspect, too.
asserted
Oyarzabal → strike → winner
England still wrestling for blueprint in big games
The week leading up to this prestige fixture had been dominated by discussion about the style, DNA and fabric of English football.
asserted
week → wrestle → football
Should England try to replicate the dominance that has served Spain so well in recent years or play their own way?
asserted
that → try → way
The irony of Yamal’s early opener was that it meant England had seen 60 per cent of possession by half time.
asserted
England → mean → time
England were — and are — good enough to put the world champions under pressure and stop them doing what they do to almost every other team they face.
asserted
they → put → team
Jude Bellingham stormed forward to assist Gordon’s goal, cleverly hooked his leg in to earn the penalty.
asserted
Bellingham → storm → penalty
He and Yamal, Real Madrid and Barcelona, were heads and shoulders above the rest all game, and yet England’s threat was so diminished after Kane’s 54th-minute spot kick against the bar.
asserted
threat → diminish → bar
There were chances and half-chances to come for Tuchel’s men, but inevitable, and concerning, was the way Spain so comprehensively wrestled control of the game at that point.
asserted
Spain → be → point
There they were, outlasting their opponents, having the final say.
asserted
they → outlast → say
For long periods of that final half-hour, England became passengers.
asserted
England → become → hour
Not that there will have been many of them among the 84,000 in attendance at Wembley, but what a game this was for neutrals — a high-octane affair, end to end, no challenges ducked, a fine advert for what UEFA intended the Nations League to become.
asserted
League → duck → end
Trafford can’t make his big day count
Tuchel named a strong XI, was always going to, and yet one name on the teamsheet stood out.
asserted
name → make → teamsheet
It was not that of Myles Lewis-Skelly but rather the goalkeeper, with Jordan Pickford, 32, left on the bench in favour of Leeds United’s James Trafford, 23.
asserted
Pickford → leave → Trafford
Big things are expected of Trafford, and Tuchel saw this the perfect opportunity to hand him the chance to impress, with Dean Henderson currently sidelined with injury.
asserted
Henderson → expect → injury
“He gets two matches, consecutive matches, because he deserves it,” said Tuchel, confirming he would start in Prague against Czechia on Tuesday as well.
asserted
he → get → Tuesday
“Then Pickford gets the same.
asserted
Pickford → get → same
Trafford had a good start for Leeds, different to last season, so we want to see what is behind Pickford.
asserted
what → have → Pickford
There was nothing Trafford could do to keep Yamal out with the opener, but then he came rushing out decisively when Yamal played Ferran Torres in.
uncertain
Yamal → be → Torres
The goalkeeper was brave, spread himself and saved.
asserted
goalkeeper → spread → himself
He hoped to make further eye-catching saves on his big night and yet Spain seemed to either slide the ball just wide of his goal or beat him with consummate ease.
asserted
Spain → hop → ease
The tantalising prospect of a two-goal lead was in sight, but how far they were from victory, as it turned out.
asserted
it → turn → victory
Spain showed why they are top dog.
asserted
they → show → ?
The Aporia
