Yamal strikes inside six minutes again as Spain edge past Czechia to sit one point from quarters

Lamine Yamal scored inside six minutes for the third consecutive Nations League game as Spain beat Czechia 3-1 in Oviedo on Saturday 3 October, keeping their group campaign perfect and leaving them one point away from the quarter-finals.

Yamal had gone close inside the opening minute before his goal arrived at five minutes and 20 seconds. Dani Olmo played a quick one-two with the Barcelona teenager, who collected the ball near the top-right corner of the area and curled a shot into the far corner. The pattern across three matches was becoming hard to ignore: Yamal had scored after 104 seconds against England and 70 seconds against Croatia. In Oviedo, he made it three goals in a combined 494 seconds before being withdrawn at half-time with Spain already 2-0 ahead.

Rodri had doubled the lead in the 32nd minute, advancing from near the centre circle, laying the ball to Pedri and receiving it back after a deflection before driving his shot high into the net. Spain had 13 shots to Czechia’s one by the interval and held 70% possession.

Czechia improved markedly after the break. Jiri Slama pulled a goal back in the 69th minute, steering Adam Hlozek’s pass beyond David Raya after a move built from deep. Czechia then thought they had equalised when Ryan Naderi turned in a rebound, but referee Vassilis Fotias had already stopped play, ruling a foul on Robin Le Normand during the preceding free-kick. Raya had also misplaced a pass that handed Ondrej Lingr a chance, and Lingr later missed an opportunity with the goal unguarded.

Czechia were reduced to 10 men shortly after the disallowed goal, and Mikel Merino settled the contest with a strike two minutes from time. The late pressure made the final scoreline feel less comfortable than Spain’s dominant first half had suggested.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said Yamal was on course to become a legend, an assessment that followed another decisive early contribution from the 17-year-old. The win keeps Spain top of their group and on the verge of reaching the Nations League quarter-finals.