Lamine Yamal Scores Twice as Spain Beats Croatia 4-1

Lamine Yamal scored twice and set up a third goal as Spain beat Croatia 4-1 in Seville on Tuesday, extending the World Cup winners' unbeaten run in European competition to 40 matches, according to a Reuters report carried by Al Jazeera. The result kept Spain perfect through their opening games of UEFA Nations League Group A3.

The match was Spain's first home game since lifting the World Cup in July, and captain Rodri paraded the trophy on the pitch before kickoff, Al Jazeera reported.

Who scored in Spain's 4-1 win over Croatia?

Yamal opened the scoring in the second minute. Alex Baena's ball into the box was dummied by Fermin Lopez, and Yamal curled a first-time shot inside the far post, according to the report. Croatia leveled in the 28th minute when Dion Beljo headed in an equalizer.

Spain went back ahead less than three minutes later. Yamal whipped a cross into the six-yard box from the right wing, and Marc Pubill headed it past Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, Al Jazeera reported. Yamal then scored his second goal of the night, and Spain's third overall, in the 63rd minute, collecting a pass from Pedri in the box before driving a shot into the net from a tight angle. Substitute Nico Williams closed out the scoring in the 89th minute.

How dominant has Yamal been for Spain this month?

Tuesday's brace came days after Yamal opened the scoring in a 3-2 win over England at Wembley on Saturday, according to the report. In both matches he found the net inside the opening minutes, a pattern that has become a feature of Spain's Nations League campaign so far.

Baena also tested Croatia's defense early, with Livakovic parrying away an effort before the visitors settled into the game, Al Jazeera reported. Tuesday's match was a rematch of the 2023 Nations League final, which Spain won on penalties.

How did Croatia respond after falling behind twice?

Croatia's answer came through Beljo's header, which briefly leveled the score at 1-1 in the 28th minute. But the visitors could not hold that level for long. Spain's response inside three minutes, through Pubill's header, put Croatia back on the back foot for the rest of the match, according to the report. Livakovic's saves kept the score from getting further out of hand in the first half, but Croatia had no answer for Yamal's second goal or Williams' late finish.

What does the result mean for Group A3 standings?

Spain's win keeps La Roja perfect through their group games so far, according to Al Jazeera. Elsewhere in the group, England beat a 10-man Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague on the same night, a result that moved England ahead of Croatia into second place, the report said. Group A3 also includes Slaven Bilic's Croatia side, which now sits behind both Spain and England following Tuesday's results.

Where can fans follow group standings and highlights?

Al Jazeera's report includes photos from the match, credited to Reuters photographer Marcelo Del Pozo, showing Yamal's celebration after Spain's third goal and Pubill's header for the second. Fans tracking the group table through the rest of the international window can find match recaps through outlets covering UEFA Nations League play, and those looking to test their own football knowledge between fixtures can try the Smorgi Challenge app.

By the numbers

• 40 matches: Spain's unbeaten run in European competition after the win, per Al Jazeera/Reuters.
• 4-1: Final score in Seville on Tuesday.
• 2 goals, 1 assist: Yamal's contribution to Spain's four goals.
• 63rd minute: When Yamal scored his second goal, from a Pedri pass.
• 89th minute: Nico Williams' goal that closed out the scoring.

The full match report, including additional photos and quotes from the game, is available from Al Jazeera.

What is next for Spain in the Nations League?

Tuesday's win keeps Spain at the top of Group A3 without a loss, continuing a run that stretches back through the World Cup-winning campaign, according to Al Jazeera. The victory came just three days after Spain's 3-2 win over England at Wembley, meaning Luis de la Fuente's squad has now beaten both England and Croatia inside the same international window.

Croatia, under coach Slaven Bilic, now sits behind both Spain and England in the group standings following results from Tuesday's fixtures, the report said. The Czech Republic finished the night with 10 men in their loss to England, a detail Al Jazeera noted in its coverage of the broader group results but did not elaborate on further.