SEVILLE, Spain — Spain embarrassed Germany, while France and Portugal also secured victories in the UEFA Nations League on a very busy day Tuesday.
SPAIN HAND GERMANY RECORD LOSS
Álvaro Morata (17′)Ferrán Torres (33′, 55′, 71′)Rodri (38′)Mikel Oyarzabal
At the Estadio Olímpico de Sevilla, Ferran Torres netted a hat-trick to lead Spain to an historic 6-0 victory over Germany, as the visitors were powerless against
Torres blasted home from just outside the six-yard box shortly after the half hour mark to help Spain take a 2-0 lead at the break before adding a brace in the second half – a header in the 55th minute and the fire home from just outside the 18-yard box in the in the 71st – to complete his first career hat-trick.
Alvaro Morata (17′) Rodri (38′) and Mikel Oyarzabal (89) rounded out the scoring for Spain, as Germany suffered the largest defeat in a competitive match and the biggest loss since being humiliating by a similar scoreline against Austria in a friendly match in 1931.
“It’s definitely a bitter defeat. It’s very, very disappointing for us all. I am part of the team. We talk about the we. We screwed this up together,” German keeper Manuel Neuer said after the match.
“Our body language was disappointing, we did not communicate on the pitch. We should have talked more.”
Tuesday’s win sees Spain sailing into the Nations League Final Four in style and advanced to the semifinals as group winner.
FRANCE CRUISED INTO SEMIFINALS
Striker Olivier Giroud netted a brace as France picked up a 4-2 win over Sweden to qualify unbeaten for the Final Four from first place in its group.
Giroud scored in the 16th and 59th minutes, while Benjamin Pavard volleyed home in the 36th minute and Kingsley Coman found the net five minutes in added time to seal the win.
Victor Claesson, who gave Sweden the lead early after dribbling through the French defense and Robin Quaison, who scored two minutes from time, netted for the losers.
PORTUGAL EDGED 10-MAN CROATIA
Meanwhile, center-back Ruben Dias scored twice, including a late winner, and Portugal ended with a 3-2 win over a 10-men Croatian team.
Dias scored both of his goals from loose ball situations in the 52nd and 90th minutes, while Joao Felix scored the other.
Croatia midfielder Marko Rog was sent off after a second yellow card for a foul on Cristiano Ronaldo, while Mateo Kovacic scored both goals for the World Cup runner-ups.
Portugal forward Ronaldo, who was kept off the scoresheet today, remains seven goals behind Iran striker Ali Daei’s record of 109 goals for a men’s national team.
Only three out of four games in League A were played.
The encounter between Switzerland and Ukraine had to be canceled because of a coronavirus outbreak in the Ukrainian squad, which forced Swiss authorities to order the entire squad into quarantine after a reported three positive COVID-19 tests.
