Switzerland 0-1 Spain: Sarabia nets as away side gain first Nations League win

Sarabia fired Spain in front early in the contest and it proved enough for them to hold on for the three points. The victory moves them on to five points from three games in League A Group Two.

Match Events

1' KICK-OFF! Who can win this match?

12' GOAL! Switzerland 0-1 Spain (Sarabia)

25' Embolo's header wide out

45' Comert's header wide out

52' Unai Simon denied Shaqiri's long shot

58' Yellow Card! Shaqiri booked

64' Llorente's shot wide out

Match Report

Spain got their UEFA Nations League campaign on track with a 1-0 win over Switzerland in Geneva.

After another poor showing against Czech Republic on Sunday, Spain needed a victory and the pointless Swiss (three matches, three defeats) were the perfect opposition.

Switzerland lacked the composure and discipline necessary to wait out the Spanish as the Czechs had done and resorted quickly to fouling in an attempt to slow them down.

After 13 minutes Spain got their opener when Marcos Llorente pounced on a half-hearted Swiss clearance and charged into the box. Riding a challenge, Llorente squared it to Pablo Sarabia who could not miss from close range.

There was a question about offside, but the video assistant was consulted and deemed it a legal goal.

Switzerland improved markedly in the second half and had long spells of possession but only really threatened in the dying minutes when Spain keeper Unai Simon - seemingly keen on making a game of it - made several poorly-judged sorties out of his box.

Ultimately Spain were far superior and, while Luis Enrique’s side remain a work in progress, this performance gave some encouragement that progress could be made.

Line-ups

Switzerland XI: Sommer, Zuber, Shaqiri, Rodriguez, Xhaka, Freuler, S.Widmer, Embolo, Akanji, E. Cömert, M. Aebischer

Subs: Frei, H. Seferović, M. Gavranović, M. Bottani, Mvogo, Mbabu, Steffen, Sow, G. Kobel, J. Lotomba, N. Okafor

Spain XI: Azpilicueta, Alba, Busquets, Morata, Sarabia, D.Llorente, Llorente, Unai Simón, Ferran Torres, P. Torres, Gavi

Subs: Alonso, Carvajal, I. Martinez, Koke, Asensio, David Raya, Olmo, Rodri, Soler, Robert Sanchez, Eric Garcia, Fati