Four-minute madness! Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane punish Williams and Cucurella errors to turn the tables on Spain

The contest began in nightmare fashion for Thomas Tuchel’s side, who found themselves trailing within the opening two minutes after a lapse in concentration from Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace defender dithered in possession just outside his own area, allowing the ever-alert Lamine Yamal to pick his pocket. The Barcelona teenager did not hesitate, driving into the penalty box and unleashing a precise curled effort that clipped the inside of the post on its way past a helpless James Trafford. It was a milestone moment for the youngster, as Yamal scored the third quickest goal England have ever conceded at Wembley Stadium, trailing only historic

Despite the early setback, England attempted to maintain their composure, though Spain’s relentless high press and quick transitions made life incredibly difficult. The visitors could have easily extended their lead before the half-hour mark if not for the wasteful finishing of Ferran Torres. The forward had a volleyed effort chalked off for offside and later missed a glaring one-on-one opportunity after being slipped through by a pinpoint Rodri pass.

Just as the home crowd began to grow restless, a sudden surge of intensity saw the game completely flipped on its head. In the 36th minute, England capitalised on a rare moment of Spanish over-extension to launch a lightning-fast counter-attack. The ball was worked quickly through the transition, eventually finding Anthony Gordon who equalised for Thomas Tuchel’s side with a composed finish that sent the Wembley faithful into raptures. It was a goal born of pure verticality, punishing a Spanish defensive line that had previously looked impenetrable throughout the opening exchanges of the Nations League clash.

The momentum shifted entirely toward the Three Lions, who struck again just four minutes later to take the lead. A well-worked move resulted in a whipped cross towards the back post where Harry Kane rose highest to meet the delivery. The England captain's powerful header took a significant deflection off Marc Cucurella, wrong-footing Unai Simon as the ball trickled over the goal line.

The statistics in the first half painted a curious picture of the match's flow, with England actually enjoying the lion's share of possession despite Spain's more frequent sights of goal. By the midway point of the half, England had controlled 57 per cent of the ball, yet they had struggled to register a single shot until their clinical double-salvo. The Spanish midfield, anchored by Rodri, appeared to dictate the tempo, with the Manchester City man constantly intercepting English passes and launching Ferran Torres into space.

There was also drama regarding officiating as the home side appealed for a penalty when Lewis-Skelly went down inside the box. The young Englishman appeared to initiate contact against Fabian Ruiz in an attempt to draw a foul, but the referee remained unmoved, much to the frustration of the London crowd.

The closing stages of the first half saw a rejuvenated England side competing for every second ball, while Spain struggled to regain the composure that had defined their start. Jude Bellingham grew into the game, drawing fouls and dictating the tempo, while Rodri found his space restricted by a more disciplined English press.

The home side's defensive shape, which had been so porous in the first twenty minutes, suddenly looked resilient. The Three Lions managed to navigate the remaining minutes of the half without further scares, heading into the dressing room with an unlikely advantage.