EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLONDON -- Mikel Oyarzabal's 74th-minute strike ensured Spain came from behind to beat England 3-2 in an enthralling UEFA Nations League game at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.Lamine Yamal gave the world champions a second-minute lead after an awful mistake by England center back Marc Guhi, and Spain missed several chances to extend their advantage in a slick opening spell as the Three Lions labored.However, England sparked into life on 36 minutes as a superb counterattacking move climaxed with Anthony Gordon playing a one-two with Jude Bellingham before the Barcelona winger stroked the ball past Unai Simn to equalize.Four minutes later, they were in front. Nico O'Reilly stood up a cross from the left and Kane met it with a header that deflected off Marc Cucurella and into the net.England started the second half brightly and had a golden chance to extend their advantage when Rodri fouled Bellingham in the box on 54 minutes. Italian referee Davide Massa opted not to give the decision initially, but he changed his mind after VAR review, only for Kane to crash the resulting spot kick against the crossbar.Spain's response was typically impressive. Substitute lex Baena curled in a fine shot to draw the visitors level again on the hour mark. Then Spain carved England open as Baena threaded a pass through for another substitute, Oyarzabal, to finish expertly past England goalkeeper James Trafford.England face Czechia in Prague on Tuesday, while Spain -- who extend their unbeaten run excluding penalty shootouts to 39 matches -- host Croatia. -- James OlleyWorld champs' control beats England's 'chaos'The talk all week has been about England's identity. For years, they have looked to Spain possession-based style as the blueprint to follow to end a 60-year wait for silverware. However, England's collapse in their World Cup semifinal against Argentina fell into a pattern of past tournament exits -- essentially, take the lead, lose the ball, lose the game -- and triggered a debate about the best way forward.Both Tuchel and Gordon have suggested England should play more to their strengths, leaning into their physicality, running power and counterattacking prowess. Tuchel labeled it "embracing the chaos," and for a while at Wembley, they did. England's equalizer -- scored by Gordon, appropriately enough -- was a wonderful breakaway move that showcased the Three Lions at their dynamic best.But an unwelcome aspect of that chaos is England's defensive vulnerability. They simply made too many mistakes, and Spain displayed their customary class and composure to mount a superb second-half recovery.The point about all this identity chat is the sense that teams need this deep-rooted clarity to stabilize them in the moments of highest pressure. Otherwise, it all looks a little uncertain and unreliable. England could have won this, but they could also have lost by a much harsher scoreline. Is that volatility the way to win a major tournament? -- OlleyEngland extend poor record against top-10 teamsEngland have a wretched record against top-ranked teams. It was part of the reason the FA brought Tuchel in -- to provide that winning nous to get England over the line in key moments. But their record is poor. After this defeat, they have just six wins out of their previous 16 matches against teams ranked inside the top 10, and a brief glance at their recent major tournament escapades paints a grim picture of how they fare when they come up against one of the giants.In recent memory, they were ticking along nicely until they ran into France in 2022, Spain knocked them over in the final of Euro 2024, and they were toppled by Argentina in the summer. They have won just one of their previous 10 World Cup matches against teams ranked inside FIFA's top 10 at the time. IYes, you can point to their win against France in the bronze match, but given the low-stakes nature of the tie, that needs an asterisk against it. This Spain match was a chance to readdress the balance, but England fell short, again. -- Tom HamiltonYamal outshines Kane in Ballon d'Or raceYamal and Harry Kane are the favorites to lift the Ballon D'Or next month. Yamal needed only two minutes to score -- in fact, his goal was the third-quickest England have ever conceded at Wembley -- before Kane responded with his deflected header to put the home side in front.But while Yamal was guilty of wasting good chances, his influence on this game increased as Kane's waned. Kane's 54th-minute penalty miss was the turning point as Spain equalized six minutes later, and Yamal was a constant menace causing Nico O'Reilly problems all evening.With England chasing a goal, Tuchel surprisingly substituted Kane for Dominic Calvert-Lewin with seven minutes left. Saturday will not decide who wins the award, but in what could be a close contest, there is little doubt Yamal will be the happier of the two after their evening's work. -- OlleyEngland lack solid foundations in defenseAll three of Spain's goals showed England's shortcomings at the back. Spain's first saw them profit on an uncharacteristic error from Marc Guehi after he lost his bearings. For the second, O'Reilly was caught napping, with Dani Olmo profiting to tee up Baena for his well-placed equalizer. And then for the third, all Spain needed were a pair of passes to bisect England's midfield and cut open their defense, giving Oyarzabal the space to flick it over Trafford.Spain should have scored more but for a smart save from Trafford off Torres, while Yamal should have grabbed his second in the 60th minute as he clipped the ball wide from close range after a breathtaking move which split England apart.England went with Trafford in goal ahead of Pickford to give him valuable international experience, while Quansah was preferred at right back to unused substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold because of Quansah's performances at the World Cup. But regardless of who swaps in and out, England continue to look shaky at the back.They didn't look confident playing out on occasions, passes were wayward and there were the same panicky moves we saw against Argentina in the World Cup. Lewis Hall deserves a run out in the next couple of matches, while Jarrad Branthwaite should be given a chance to impress from the outset after he was brought on as late substitute against Spain. This remains an area that needs shoring up. -- HamiltonRodri runs the show vs. AndersonWith Declan Rice injured, Myles Lewis-Skelly was partnered with Elliot Anderson in the heart of England's midfield. Anderson played a little deeper than Lewis-Skelly, with the impressive Bellingham playing off Kane up front.Against them, though, was the blueprint in what top-level teams want from a No. 6. Rodri's world-class qualities are already well known, but he ran this match like a master puppeteer. He knew when to put his foot on the pedal, and when to hold back -- just steering the tempo to his wishes.While Olmo was magnificent, it was Rodri who remains the beating heart of the world champions. We've already seen it countless times previously from the Barcelona man, but it's the type of player England are desperately trying to unearth, or mold through Anderson. -- Hamilton
