England suffer 55-minute collapse again as Spain win 3-2 at Wembley in Nations League
England’s 55-minute curse returns in 3-2 Nations League defeat to Spain
Wembley witnessed a repeat of Thomas Tuchel’s England narrative on Sunday as the hosts surrendered a 2-1 lead after the 55-minute mark to lose 3-2 to Spain in their UEFA Nations League opener.
Writing for The Guardian, Barney Ronay captured the sense of inevitability inside the stadium: "You could feel it inside the stadium, one of those moments where the air starts to shift, the birds fly backwards through the sky, and outside on Wembley Way an old man clutches his copy of the England Pathway Blueprint to his chest and cowers up at the moon. Welcome to the witching hour, 55 minutes in, when things just seem to happen to Thomas Tuchel’s England."
England had twice gone a goal ahead against World Cup finalists in Tuchel’s last two significant games — in Atlanta in July against Argentina and now at Wembley — and in both cases the final 35 minutes were lost 2-0.
"Their last two significant matches, here and in Atlanta in July, have both involved going a goal ahead against the World Cup finalists, playing well and dominating parts of the game, right up until the 55-minute mark. At which point a kind of voodoo descends," Ronay wrote.
Early Spain strike, England fightback
Spain struck almost immediately through a finish from Yamine Lamal after a horrible moment for Marc Guéhi. England responded with a brilliant counter-attacking goal on 36 minutes, made by Elliot Anderson’s tackle, Jude Bellingham’s surge and pass, and a lovely finish from Anthony Gordon into the corner.
The second half began brightly for England. Jarell Quansah smashed a shot into Marc Cucurella’s face as the crowd sang a Tuchel chant to the tune of War’s Low Rider. A lengthy VAR check on 54 minutes awarded a penalty for a trip on Bellingham, which Harry Kane converted despite slipping on his standing leg, giving England a 2-1 lead entering the 55th minute.
The fade begins
"54 ticked over into 55 minutes. And at that point Spain just seemed to sense it, the pressure shifted and we were back in Georgia under the lights," Ronay noted.
Tuchel was animated on the touchline as the ball began to tick between the Spanish shirts. Within five minutes the game was level, and 14 minutes later Spain were 3-2 up, a lead they would hold.
"The most unfavourable interpretation of this is a pattern being established. England lost another game where they just seem to get close, to lose control, to fail to hold the midfield. Both of Spain’s decisive goals were either made or scored by Luis de la Fuente’s two attacking substitutes, neither of whom looked much like Dan Burn," Ronay added.
Midfield battle decides it
The key intervention came on 70 minutes when both sides introduced a midfielder: Pedri for Spain and James Garner for England. Pedri "immediately began to do his thing, romping about like a playful little horse, a footballer who just loves the ball, and whom the ball loves right back." Spain finished with Pedri, Rodri and Dani Olmo on the pitch — the entire Barcelona midfield — and regained their familiar control.
Ronay conceded England were "much better here than in Atlanta, and against a better team", with periods of hard high pressing and no panic long-ball play late on. Yet "for all England’s efforts, the late surge, the front-foot style, it always felt that they were being held at bay in those final moments".
"But then Spain are the ultimate system team, an expression of a deep, functioning coaching culture, not to mention the footballing nation that tortures England the most. We are all you could have had, the thing you are not. Lose again, lose better. But this was at least some kind of progress," Ronay concluded.