Paco Alcacer and Sergio Ramos' goals were not enough to make up for Spain's bad first-half display as Sterling broke his 3-year goal drought with a double to help England beat Spain 3-2 in Seville.
2018/2019 UEFA Nations League
2-3
Match Report
Spain lost a competitive match at home for the first time since June 2003 after England held on to clinch a 3-2 win in Seville.
Raheem Sterling ended his international drought with a brace before England survived a second-half onslaught from Spain to record a stunning 3-2 Nations League victory in Seville.
A Marcus Rashford goal sandwiched between a pair of finishes from Sterling had Gareth Southgate's men 3-0 up at the break, though Harry Kane – the architect of two and involved in all three – was their leading light.
Things were more one-sided due to Spain's desperation after the interval and Paco Alcacer scored his 10th goal in six games for club and country just before the hour.
Sergio Ramos netted a header in the last minute but England held firm to claim their first victory in UEFA’s new competition.
4' Marvelous save from Pickford!
HUGE CHANCE! Somehow England escape here without conceding! Thiago sees a shot from point-blank range deflected inches wide of the near post. The ensuing corner is flicked on for Alonso, who has the goal gaping at the far post, but somehow Pickford scrambles across to keep it out off the line!
16' GOAL! Spain 0-1 England (Sterling)
ENGLAND SNATCH THE LEAD! 1-0! That's a stunning through ball and even better finish!
Rashford threads the needle with an exquisite diagonal ball to play Sterling behind the defence, and the Manchester City attacker shows remarkable composure to pick out the top corner quite emphatically from 20 yards!
29' GOAL! Spain 0-2 England (Rashford)
IT'S AN ENGLAND INQUISITION IN SEVILLE! 2-0! Completely against the run of play, the Three Lions have doubled their lead!
On a relatively quick break, Kane threads a ball through for Rashford who does well to control with his first and even better to bury a finish into the bottom corner with his second!
38' GOAL! Spain 0-3 England (Sterling)
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SEVILLE?! 3-0 ENGLAND! This is turning into a nightmare for Spain, who are being dealt a taste of their own medicine!
A lovely ball over the top from Barkley picks out the run of Kane, who unselfishy squares for Sterling with his first touch, and the Manchester City attacker simply couldn't miss from five yards for his second goal of the match!
50' CLOSE! Asensio's shot deflects off Gomez and hits the side-netting
Much more like it from the hosts! A wonderful turn from Asensio in the penalty area allows him to get a shot off from 10 yards, but Gomez does just enough as he deflects it about an inch wide of the post and into the side netting!
58' GOAL! Spain 1-3 England (Alcacer)
SPAIN PULL ONE BACK! 3-1! Is the comeback on?! It just might be! Alcacer has only just come onto the pitch, but he's got his side back in the game with a wondefully placed header on the end of Asensio's corner. Game on!
64' Spain nearly make it 2-3... and it could be a penalty!
WHAT A CHANCE FOR SPAIN! My word how has that not gone in?! Dreadful from Pickford who tries to dribble around Rodrigo in his own penalty area before being dispossessed by the striker.
Rodrigo knocks it forward and has the goal gaping, but Pickford is able to tug him back a bit to prevent a quick finish, before sliding in and poking the ball behind for a corner in a stunningly successful act of desperation!
83' WHAT A SHOT! Asensio's shot inches wide out
Close! Decent effort, that, from Asensio who misses with a shot from 25 yards.
88' Morata misses a golden chance!
Bad miss! Morata deserves the benefit of the doubt there, as the chance came quickly and seemed to take him by surprise, but he's been missing a lot of those lately. Pickford gets his hands to Alcacer's effort from the right, blindly knocking it right into the path of Morata, who misses from five yards.
97' GOAL! Spain 2-3 England (Ramos)
THERE'S ONE! Spain cut it to 3-2! It hardly matters now as it's come too late, but it's no less than the hosts deserve as Ramos heads home into the bottom corner to halve the deficit.
Line-ups
Spain XI: Sergio Ramos, Sergio Busquets, Iago Aspas, David de Gea, Thiago Alcântara, Rodrigo, M.Alonso, Nacho, Saúl, J.Castro, Marco Asensio
Subs: Albiol, Azpilicueta, Morata, Bartra, Koke, Alcácer, Kepa, Suso, Gayá, Pau López, Ceballos, R.Hernández
England XI: K. Trippier, Barkley, H. Kane, J. Pickford, R. Sterling, H. Maguire, E. Dier, Winks, Gomez, Chilwell, M. Rashford
Subs: K. Walker, Dunk, Chalobah, J. Butland, M. Bettinelli, James Maddison, M. Mount, T. Alexander-Arnold, Sancho