XtraTime Web Desk: Romelu Lukaku stars as Belgium convincingly beat Iceland in the UEFA Nation League. England too register a crucial win over Switzerland. On the other hand, Spain thump Croatia and handed them the biggest defeat in their history.
Spain thrash mighty Croatia: Croatia suffered the biggest defeat in its history as Spain thrashed it 6-0 in Tuesday’s Nations League match at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero. Marco Asensio scored once and set up four more in Luis Enrique’s second match in charge, as the World Cup finalist was run ragged in Elche.
Saul Niguez headed Spain in front before Asensio fired in two spectacular strikes, although the second was credited as an own goal from Lovre Kalinic. Croatia, for whom Ivan Rakitic was making his 100th appearance, rarely got to grips with its opponent and conceded three times more in the second half through Rodrigo Moreno, Sergio Ramos and Isco.
The result is its heaviest ever defeat, the first time it has conceded six goals and the first game in which it has let in five since a 5-1 loss to England in 2009.
England register big win: Marcus Rashford scored in consecutive matches for the first time in his international career as England returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Switzerland in Leicester.
Manchester United forward Rashford gave the Three Lions an early lead at home to Spain on Saturday before it fell to a 2-1 Nations League defeat. He was one of only two players to keep their place as Gareth Southgate shuffled his pack at the King Power Stadium and a disjointed first-half showing followed.
There was a marked improvement in the second period, with Rashford on hand to halt a run of three consecutive defeats for the World Cup semi-finalists.
Xherdan Shaqiri hit the outside of the post in the seventh minute after his former Stoke City team-mate Jack Butland made two poor passes out from the back. Butland atoned for his earlier wobbles by thwarting Mario Gavranovic and Ricardo Rodriguez as England struggled to impose itself on the contest. Danny Rose saw a rasping shot pushed clear by Yann Sommer, with the Tottenham wing-back the most regular source of fleeting attacking encouragement for the host.
England was fortunate to reach half-time on terms but there was an improvement in terms of intensity and performance from Southgate’s men after the restart.
The reward arrived in the 54th minute as Kyle Walker arrowed Rose’s overhit corner back into the box from the right and Rashford stroked home unmarked at the far post.
Belgium outclass Iceland: Romelu Lukaku was on target twice as Belgium cruised to a 3-0 win over Iceland in the World Cup semi-finalists’ Nations League opener on Tuesday.
Roberto Martinez’s side might have been worried for a time early in the first half as it was kept at bay in the League A encounter, but Eden Hazard’s opener from the penalty spot was followed by a Lukaku strike just 121 seconds later.
While Belgium was not wholly convincing, its lead never looked threatened and it spent the second half on the front foot, chasing a further goal that eventually arrived through Lukaku again. Even at three goals down, Iceland was able to retain at least some respectability in response to a weekend showing when Group 2 rivals Switzerland ran out 6-0 winners with embarrassing ease.