Spain opened their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 3-2 win over England at Wembley, coming from behind in a match loaded with quality and swings. It was lively, it was tactical, and the numbers on Sofascore back up every twist.

Missed chances and precise finishing told the story. England led at halftime, but Spain’s bench changed the game and the group table mood in League A, Group 3.

Scoreline and storyline at Wembley

Lamine Yamal set the tone early, bending in a left-footed finish inside two minutes to put Spain ahead. England needed a spark and got it when Jude Bellingham threaded a pass into Anthony Gordon, who drilled home for 1-1 on 36 minutes. Four minutes later, Nico O’Reilly’s measured cross found Harry Kane, whose glancing header nudged England in front at 2-1.

The second half started with a potential turning point. England won a penalty for Kane, but his 54th-minute attempt went off target. That miss proved costly. Dani Olmo then slipped Alex Baena into a central pocket and the substitute picked out the far corner for 2-2 on 60 minutes.

Spain’s other substitute, Mikel Oyarzabal, completed the turnaround on 74 minutes with a composed left-footed finish after Baena again found the gap. England pushed, added five corners in the second half, and saw bodies in the box, but Spain managed the final stretch. After five minutes added time, it finished 2-3, a result that matches the data more than the halftime feel.

What the numbers say

On Sofascore’s event page, the numbers lean Spain. Expected goals ended 1.53 for England to 2.99 for Spain, a clear pointer to the visitors creating the better chances. Total shots were close, 13-15, and shots on target finished level at 5-5, but Spain’s attempts carried more danger, reflected in expected goals on target at 0.56-1.80.

Big chances were 3-5 in Spain’s favor and that shows up in the second half, where the visitors matched England for volume yet found higher-quality looks. Ferran Torres posted 1.0778 xG in 55 minutes despite not scoring, while Yamal’s personal xG hit 0.9597 with seven total shots. Spain also won the duel share at 53 percent and dominated aerially at 64 percent, key to defending England’s set pieces and long deliveries.

Two telling defensive splits stand out. England made more interceptions at 12-8 and won a higher proportion of tackles, yet Spain produced a huge 20 clearances to England’s 4, which speaks to England’s territorial push and Spain’s resilient penalty-area work. Both goalkeepers underperformed goals prevented, with England at -1.20 and Spain at -1.44, but the decisive moments were at the other end.

Spain’s control vs England’s territory

Spain edged possession 53-47 and completed more passes, 512 to 446. They also posted more final-third entries, 45-40, and generally handled the slow buildup better through Rodri’s platform in midfield. England countered with directness. Long-ball accuracy told a different story, 74 percent for England against 45 percent for Spain, which helped England flip the field and reach the area quickly.

Crossing did not pay off for England often enough. They finished 4 of 24 successful crosses, just 17 percent, while Spain went 1 of 5. Despite that, England logged 37 touches in Spain’s box to just 15 for the visitors, a testament to pressure phases around the 18-yard line. Spain answered with duels and aerial control, critical in clearing danger and resetting shape. Small margins around the box and a missed penalty separated a point from none.

Dispossessions also shaped sequences. England were dispossessed 13 times to Spain’s 7, which trimmed some promising breaks before they turned into shots. Spain’s back line, especially Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte, kept passing security high and clearances decisive when the ball did arrive in the area. It was control against territory, and Spain made control count.

Key moments that swung it

Minute 54 may be the clip both sides revisit. Kane’s penalty went wide after a check, and within six minutes Spain restored parity through Baena. Substitutions were the other lever. Luis de la Fuente’s changes on 55 minutes brought Oyarzabal and Baena into the front line. They delivered a goal each and combined for the winner.

Yamal’s opener mattered beyond the score. Scoring at 2 minutes set the game’s early pattern, forced England to chase, and later opened lanes for Spain to exploit as the hosts committed numbers. Ferran’s two big misses kept England alive in the first half, but the cumulative xG hinted that Spain would find another moment. They found two.

England’s discipline wobbled late with three yellow cards, while Spain avoided bookings entirely. Errors were costly for England, recorded as two leading to shots and two to goals, and that is rare at this level. Those details, plus Spain’s superior second-half shot quality, explain why the final score tracked the models.

MVP: Anthony Gordon’s busy 70 minutes

Anthony Gordon took the Sofascore MVP on the night with a Sofascore Rating of 8.1, and it was well earned. He scored England’s first, completed 20 of 23 passes, and won 7 duels while losing 4. Add 2 tackles won, 5 ball recoveries, and you have a winger who contributed in both directions. His xG sat at 0.21 and he still produced the match’s second-highest individual Rating on either side.

Gordon carried the ball 13 times for a total of 111.86 meters, with strong forward progression, which helped England climb the pitch during their best spell. He also delivered 3 crosses and stayed tidy with the ball under pressure, a small but important note in a game where dispossessions hurt. For 70 minutes, he looked the part of a go-to wide outlet and a reliable presser.

There were other standouts. Bellingham finished on a Sofascore Rating of 8.0, posted 5 key passes and an assist, and won the penalty that could have changed the game. For Spain, Yamal’s 7.9 reflected a goal, seven shots, four key passes, and constant ball progression, while Baena matched 7.9 off the bench with a goal, an assist and two big chances created. Gordon edges them in our MVP slot because his all-round two-way impact underpinned England’s best period and kept the match in the balance.