UEFA Nations League: Portugal loses to Switzerland and cedes top spot to Spain
Spain took advantage of Portugal's 1-0 defeat against Switzerland and took the lead after beating its host Czech Republic 2-0 on Sunday, in the fourth round of Group B for the first level of the European Football Championship.
And the La Roja team raised its score to 8 points in the lead against the second Portugal (7), compared to four for the Czech Republic and three for Switzerland, which won its first points after three defeats.
The Spanish national team, runner-up in the last edition last year, won its first victory in the last round by beating Switzerland after two draws in its first two matches against Portugal (1-1) and in the Czech Republic (2-2).
Spain, the 2010 world champion, scored its fifth victory in seven matches against Switzerland, with two draws and without any loss.
After four matches in the current window within two weeks, which concludes on Tuesday, the teams return in September, with the finals (semi-finals, third and final) to be held in June 2023.
It is noteworthy that the teams that top the four groups qualify for the finals to be held in the territory of one of those teams.
These matches also constitute an important preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year, noting that Spain signed with Germany and Japan in addition to Costa Rica or New Zealand in Group E.
Spain scored the first goal of the only shot on the goal in the first half, when Koki raised a beautiful ball from behind the defenders to Marco Asensio inside the area on the right flank.
Three substitutes cooperated in the second goal when the promising Gavi launched in the middle of the field after an individual effort and passed to Dani Olmo and from him to the substitute Ferran Torres on the right side in the area, and from him a cross to Pablo Sarabia towards the second post, which scored three minutes after his descent (75).
Switzerland avenged its harsh loss in the first leg against Portugal, 0-4, last week in Lisbon, and beat it in the absence of the latter's star, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Switzerland owes the victory to its substitute goalkeeper Jonas Olmin, who excelled in defending his own goal and frustrated all the attempts of the Portuguese, especially in the second half.
It wasn't 57 seconds before the start of the match until the owners of the land managed to open the scoring when Silvan Wiedmer passed a cross inside the area, and Seferovic's goalkeeper headed into the net of Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio, raising his score to 25 international goals.
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