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Spain's Early Breakthrough and Commanding Lead: Spain took an early lead with Joselu scoring in the 4th minute, and Fabian Ruiz doubled the advantage in the 13th minute, capitalizing on a rebound.
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Controversial Moment for Switzerland: Switzerland thought they had equalized in the 7th minute, but Becir Omeragic's goal was disallowed due to a handball by Remo Freuler, affecting their momentum early on.
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Spain Reduced to 10 Men: Robin Le Normand's red card in the 20th minute for pulling down Breel Embolo forced Spain to play with 10 men, altering their game strategy.
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Switzerland's Brief Comeback: Zeki Amdouni gave Switzerland hope by scoring in the 41st minute, narrowing the deficit to 2-1 before halftime.
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Fabian Ruiz Shines with a Brace: Ruiz scored again in the 77th minute, showcasing his attacking prowess and securing his status as the man of the match.
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Ferran Torres Adds to the Scoreline: Torres sealed Spain's victory with a cool finish in the 80th minute, making it 4-1 and highlighting Switzerland's defensive struggles.
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Dominant Performance Despite Lower Possession: Spain managed an impressive win despite having only 40% possession, demonstrating their clinical efficiency with 8 shots on target compared to Switzerland's 3.
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Spain's Strong Position in Group 4: The win places Spain second in Group 4 of League A, setting them up for crucial upcoming matches against Denmark and Serbia.
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Switzerland's Struggles Continue: After two consecutive defeats, Switzerland is at the bottom of their group and needs to regroup quickly ahead of their fixtures against Serbia and Denmark.
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Outstanding Individual Performance: Fabian Ruiz's all-around performance, including a 92% pass success rate and two goals, was pivotal for Spain, particularly after they were reduced to 10 players.
Image Source - Sony LIV
With a commanding performance, Spain came from behind an early red card to eventually steamroll Switzerland 4-1 in a pulsating UEFA Nations League match on Sunday night. Led by two goals from Fabian Ruiz, the win marked Spain's second game of the 2024-25 season and catapulted them to second place in League A Group 4.
Image Source - X
Early Lead for Spain
Spain did not waste time and asserted dominance right in the 4th minute. Joselu, leading the line for Spain, needed a moment to connect with a cross from Lamine Yamal before sending a header just past the line. The Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel thought that he was keeping it out. However, goal-line technology came into play and confirmed it as a goal.
Image Source - ALJAZEERA
Misfortune for Switzerland, First for Ruiz
It wasn't until the seventh minute that Switzerland believed they had equalized through Becir Omeragic, but a VAR review disallowed it as Remo Freuler was deemed to have handled the ball in the buildup.
Things only got worse for Switzerland as, in the 13th minute of the match, Fabian Ruiz doubled Spain's advantage. Nico Williams, who had been forced to a save from Kobel, saw Ruiz pounce onto his rebound and send the ball crashing into the net. Yamal again assisted this move, proving his potential impact on the game thus far.
Spain Down to 10 Men
Spain's momentum was broken at the 20-minute mark when defender Robin Le Normand was given a straight red card for pulling down Breel Embolo as he went towards goal. This forced the manager of Spain, Luis de la Fuente to make a tactical change, which saw Pedri substituted with Dani Vivian to go double at the back.
Switzerland Pulls One Back
Down to ten men, Spain managed to fend off advances from Switzerland until the 41st minute. A corner was flicked by Breel Embolo into a dangerous area. It was promptly capitalized on by Zeki Amdouni, scoring from close range to make it 2-1 and provide a glimmer of hope for Switzerland before halftime.
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Spain Seals the Win
In the second half, Spain outlasted the pressure from Switzerland as they found the net once more in the 77th minute. Ferran Torres provides a low cross into Fabian Ruiz, who calmly slots into the bottom corner for 3-1 and his brace for the night. Just three minutes later, Torres found himself on the scoresheet, coolly finishing under the onrushing Kobel after a shaky display from the Swiss defense.
Man of the Match: Fabian Ruiz
While Joselu put in a brilliant performance with a goal and an assist, the man of the match honors went to Fabian Ruiz. The 28-year-old PSG midfielder was instrumental both offensively and defensively, especially after Spain went down to 10 men. Ruiz finished the game with a pass success rate of 92% and was pivotal in driving Spain forward to a memorable win.
Match Statistics
Possession: Switzerland 60%-40% Spain
Shots: Switzerland 18-10 Spain
Shots on Target: Switzerland 3-8 Spain
Corners: Switzerland 9-3 Spain
Fouls: Switzerland 10-9 Spain
Image Source - Reuters
What's Next?
Spain currently lies second in Group 4 with four points and will look to climb to the top when they host Denmark on October 12, before traveling to Serbia three days later. Switzerland, who sits at the bottom of the group after two defeats, travels to Serbia on October 12 before hosting Denmark.
The Nations League seems to promise great clashes for the final places.
Inputs by Agencies
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