In video: Prague witnesses a crazy night: Spain imposes its dominance and continues its winning streak
On a far from ordinary night in Prague, Spain came away with a hard-fought 2-0 win over the Czech Republic, in a match that had everything: Spanish dominance, a controversial penalty, a disallowed goal, a Czech chance that nearly turned the tables, and a sending-off that tipped the balance of the contest.
Another victory confirmed that the world champions know only the language of triumph, even when the paths to it are strange. They topped the group table with 15 points and a perfect record, leaving the Czech Republic in real trouble, rooted to the bottom without a single point.
First half: Spanish dominance
Spain began the match with clear pressure, seizing control of midfield, dominating possession and imposing their usual rhythm from the very first moments.
La Roja tried repeatedly to break through the organised Czech defence, yet the goalless scoreline held for a long spell. The Czechs intervened more than once to rescue their goal, most notably from an effort by Ferran Torres, one of Spain's most active players.
Everything changed when Czech player Ambros handled a high ball inside the box, in one of the most foolish penalties of the year. The ball struck him near his elbow, and he used that touch to soften its path and clear it. Nobody on the pitch noticed the movement, but VAR picked it up.
Montenegrin referee Nikola Dabanovic reviewed the incident on the screen and did not hesitate to point to the spot. In the 39th minute, Alex Baena stepped up and struck it with great confidence to announce Spain's first goal and ignite La Roja's celebrations. The half ended with Spain a goal to the good, their historic superiority over the Czech Republic once again confirmed on home soil.
Second half: Czech attempts
Intensity rose after the break. Everyone thought Spain had grabbed a second when the Czech net rippled again, but the joy proved short-lived. The referee disallowed the goal for offside, keeping the lead at just one.
The Czech Republic refused to give up. A dangerous chance fell their way that nearly brought the equaliser and dragged the match back to square one, proof that, for all their elimination, they still possessed fighting spirit and the desire for a positive result in front of their fans.
Their biggest blow came when the referee brandished a red card at defender Krejci, forcing the hosts to finish with ten men.
That sending-off deepened the Czech suffering and handed Spain a numerical and psychological advantage in the closing minutes. Unai Simon was once again there with a distinguished display, keeping his composure in the difficult moments.
Stoppage time settled everything. Marc Pubill scored Spain's second in the 90+6th minute.
It was no mere extra goal. This was the knockout blow that ended Czech resistance completely and confirmed that Spain leave nothing to chance until the very last moment.
Pubill exploited the confusion in the Czech defence after the sending-off, advancing with confidence to put the ball in the net. A difficult win became a comfortable one, handing La Roja three precious points and extending their run of perfect victories in the Nations League.
The Group Three standings in League A lay bare the scale of Spanish dominance. Spain top the table with a perfect 15 points from five matches, five straight wins, 13 goals scored and five conceded.
The Czech Republic, by contrast, sit bottom in fourth place without a point. They have lost all five matches, scoring only two goals and conceding 11, which brings them close to official relegation to League B.