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Spain adds the first blur to its new project

Spain adds the first blur to its new project.

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Spain adds the first blur to its new project

Spain adds the first blur to its new project

The team pays for its mistakes against Scotland and suffers its first defeat in the qualifying phase for EURO 2024

MADRID, 28 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish men's soccer team added its first defeat in the qualifying phase for the Euro Cup in Germany in 2024 after falling 2-0 against Scotland on Tuesday, after a game in which it never felt comfortable and where it paid dearly for its mistakes in the defensive zone.

Luis de la Fuente's team could not allay some of the doubts left behind last Saturday in their victory against Norway. Except for a small section of the first half, it was almost always played more to the taste of his rival, who also had the forcefulness in the area of ​​Kepa Arrizabalaga, personified in a Scott McTominay, twice in the exact place to execute the Spaniards and stay with the leadership of Group A.

It was not the best night for the 'Red' at Hampden Park, where they almost always collided with the local defensive order, especially after the 2-0 draw, and where things quickly turned uphill. De la Fuente completely renewed his eleven and only Kepa, Rodri and Mikel Merino survived from the team that came out in the debut, but his plan suffered its first setback very soon and his changes this time were not effective.

Pedro Porro slipped under pressure from Andy Robertson, who was left with the free ball to find McTominay in the area who, after touching the ball to Íñigo Martínez and unbalancing his goalkeeper, made it 1-0. The advantage allowed the locals to give up the initiative a little more to the 'Red', who had a hard time getting the pulse of the clash before Steve Clarke's approach

Almost 20 minutes it took the national team to test Gunn, with a header from Joselu too focused, although before Scotland had had a good counterattack with Christie to have increased their advantage. Clearer was the second from the Espanyol forward, who headed a good shipment from Merino to the crossbar, a warning to the Scots that they had to watch out for other danger routes.

These two occasions strengthened the national team which, despite being harmed by the state of the pitch, increased its dominance and continued to carry the danger curiously from above, traditionally one of the hallmarks of British football. Rodri also warned like this after a corner, while shortly after Gunn was not surprised with a shot from outside the area by Pedro Porro.

Scotland did not get intimidated and did not hesitate to press the ball out again to shake off this dominance, with David García making a good crossing to avoid another scare. The final stretch of the first half was once again played to what the British team wanted, who had another great chance with Dykes beating David García with a long ball, but without being able to adjust his shot in his one-on-one against Kepa .

De la Fuente moved the bench after the break, putting in a winger like Nico Williams for a misguided Mikel Oyarzabal and Dani Carvajal as the new right-back. However, it was again 2-0 on that side, with a powerful run from Tierney who easily beat the Real Madrid player and again McTominay appearing in the area, this time to pick up his teammate's cross clearance and send it into the net .

Spain was left on the brink of the precipice and it didn't take long for the coach to score another goal with Iago Aspas, almost coinciding with a shot to the crossbar from a heeled free kick by McGinn. The team was able to get right into the match, but Pino and Aspas did not understand each other inside the area and then the man from Moaña finished off another good chance over the crossbar.

Borja Iglesias was the next resource to try to get as much as possible with the clock running against him, but the final stretch, despite the harassment, was quite calm for Gunn's goal. Spain could not avoid its first blur for its new project, whose next opportunity will be already in June in the 'Final Four' of the League of Nations and against a more important rival like Italy.

--RESULT: SCOTLAND, 2 - SPAIN, 0 (1-0, at halftime).

ESCOCIA: Gunn; Porteous, Hanley, Tierney (Cooper, min.75); Hickey (Patterson, min.82), McTominay, McGregor, McGinn (Ferguson, min.82), Robertson; Christie (McLean, min.75)y Dykes (Shankland, min.89).

SPAIN: Kepa; Pedro Porro (Carvajal, min.46), David García, Íñigo Martínez, Gayà; Rodri, Merino (Aspas, min.57); Oyarzabal (Williams, min.46), Ceballos (Gavi, min.79), Pino; and Joselu (Borja Iglesias, min.66).

1-0, minute 7. McTominay.

2-0, minute 51. McTominay.

--REFEREE: Sandro Schärer (SUI). He admonished Robertson (min.27), Dykes (min.34), Gunn (min.76) and McTominay (min.96), for Scotland, and Carvajal (min.68), Aspas (min.83), for Spain. The referee was replaced due to injury at halftime by his compatriot Lukas Fähndrich.

-- STADIUM: Hampden Park.

Keywords:
Eurocopa