BEVERLY HILLS, October 13, (THEWILL) – Spain suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat to Ukraine in Tuesday’s Nations League A Group 4 clash. Luis Enrique’s side was made to endure an unhappy return to the grounds of one of their greatest triumphs.
In 2012, there were no less than 20,000 football fans inside Kiev’s Olympic Stadium, where La Roja won Euro 2012 to cap what was an extraordinary and unprecedented four-year spell of football dominance.
The Spaniards had less to celebrate this time, though and Ukraine have their goalkeeper Georgi Bushchan to thank that they didn’t get trounced. He made eight key saves to keep Luis Enrique’s side at bay before Viktor Tsygankov capitalised on some slack concentration at the back to score the winner 14 minutes from time.
Bushchan tipped over a header from Rodrigo Moreno as Spain started positively, and Ansu Fati should have done more than shoot straight at the keeper when Sergio Canales nudged the ball into his path.
Again Bushchan was called into action when he got fingertips to a Sergio Ramos free-kick, denying the defender a goal to mark his 175th international appearance.
Ukraine, thoroughly outplayed, had just 21 per cent of the ball in the first half and scarcely got near David de Gea in goal for La Roja. Yet, such was their pressing that they should have taken the lead early in the second half, but Oleksandr Zubkov dragged a shot well wide after Serhiy Sydorchuk put him clean through.
Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal came on as substitutes to freshen the Spanish attack, but it was Rodri who next came closest, whistling a low shot just wide of the left-hand post from the edge of the area.
Bushchan again stayed big to deny Oyarzabal from close range and Ferran following a dazzling run, before his kick led to the breakthrough.
With Spain’s midfield and defence out of position, Andriy Yarmolenko played in Tsygankov and he drove through the gap between the centre-backs to finish expertly past De Gea, who had strayed curiously far from his line.
Although Spain remain top of their group, there will be plenty to play for when the competition resumes next month. This is because one point behind them is Joachim Low’s German side and Spain will meet them in a Nations League tie in November. Then, they have a match against Switzerland in the same month.
THEWILL believes that for them to maintain their leadership position in Group 4, Luis Enrique’s men will have to improve their goalscoring.
Ukraine, on the other hand, is level with Germany on six points and could yet spring another shock by progressing to the finals.
Next month, Spain faces the Netherlands in a friendly before Nations League matches with Switzerland and Germany. Ukraine must also play the other two sides in the group after a friendly with Poland.
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