Alex Baena and Alvaro Morata were both on target as Spain beat Serbia 3-0 in the Nations League on Tuesday.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Spain beat Serbia 3-0Emphatic scoreline justifies La Roja's dominanceBaena's late heroics helped him steal the showFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportTELL ME MORE
Luis de la Fuente's men played like reigning European champions as they dominated the game right from the first whistle. They took just five minutes to draw first blood through Aymeric Laporte as the defender headed home after connecting to a cross from Pedro Porro, following a well-worked corner routine. After getting their noses in front, Spain maintained their tempo and kept raiding Serbia's defence in search of their insurance goal. Mikel Oyarzabal tested Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic from a tight angle and minutes later Mikel Merino hit the woodwork.
The second half started in the same vein with Spain enjoying the bulk of the possession. La Roja could have doubled their lead from the spot but Morata squandered the opportunity. Porro's cross from the right hit Veljko Birmancevic's elbow and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. The AC Milan forward stepped up to try his luck from 12 yards but ballooned his shot over the crossbar, much to the dismay of the Spanish fans.
However, Morata kept probing and finally made amends for his earlier miss by scoring a left-footed beauty as he placed his shot to perfection beyond the reach of Rajkovic, following a quick give-and-go with Fabian Ruiz. The visitors were reduced to 10 men when Strahinja Pavlovic caught Oyarzabal at the edge of the box, which was deemed as violent conduct by VAR. Baena made the most of the opportunity from the set-piece and scored the third of the night to seal a comprehensive victory for the hosts.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE MVP
Baena was a constant threat from the wide areas with his crosses inside the box and his peach of a free-kick was the highlight of the night. It was a measured hit with the perfect dip as the ball flew over the human wall and swooped inside the net as Rajkovic stood rooted to his spot.
THE BIG LOSER
Serbia were already struggling to keep up with a well-oiled Spanish side and Pavlovic's reckless challenge just outside the box put his team into even more trouble. Baena scored from the set piece and Serbia with a numerical disadvantage fell flat on their face losing all hope of a potential comeback.
WHAT COMES NEXT FOR SPAIN?
After a comfortable victory over Serbia, Spain remain unbeaten and will continue their Nations League campaign in November with their final two matches against Denmark and Switzerland.
