The UEFA Nations League final between Croatia and Spain ended in a penalty shootout, with Spain emerging victorious with a 5-4 win.
The match was a hard-fought battle, with both teams having their fair share of chances but neither able to break the deadlock within the 120 minutes of play.
The game started with both teams pressing hard, with Spain’s Gavi coming close to scoring but his shot went just wide. The full-backs of both teams, Jordi Alba and Jesus Navas for Spain, and Josip Juranovic and Ivan Perisic for Croatia, were heavily involved in the attacks. However, it was the changes in attack that brought life to the game. Despite the increased intensity, clear-cut chances remained scarce, with Spain’s Fabian Ruiz and Croatia’s Ivan Perisic coming close to scoring.
The match eventually went to penalties, where Spain’s goalkeeper, Unai Simon, emerged as the hero. Simon saved penalties from Croatia’s Lovro Majer and Bruno Petkovic, while Dani Carvajal scored the decisive penalty to seal the victory for Spain.
This win for Spain means they have claimed their first Nations League title, a significant achievement for the team and their manager, Luis de la Fuente. The victory also marks a successful start for de la Fuente, who recently took over the managerial role.
