Spain 4-1 Croatia: Yamal’s 9.9 Sofascore Rating

Spain opened Round 2 of UEFA Nations League League A Group 3 with a statement win in Seville. The hosts struck in the second minute and never let go of control, beating Croatia 4-1 at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. The scoreline matched the flow of play: more possession, more shots, more threat, and cleaner end product. Lamine Yamal led it with two goals, one assist and a near-perfect Sofascore Rating of 9.9.

Fast start, full control

Spain needed just two minutes to tilt the game. Alex Baena stepped into the right pocket and slid a pass into Lamine Yamal, who finished low for 1-0. Croatia answered on 28 minutes, Dion Drena Beljo nodding in an Ivan Perišić cross to level it. Spain hit back three minutes later from a Yamal corner routine, with Marc Pubill heading past Dominik Livaković for 2-1.

That early punch-and-counter punch set the tone but never shook Spain’s plan. They owned 64% possession and completed 568 accurate passes to Croatia’s 296. Final-third entries were 58 to 34, and touches in the box read 38 to 12. The shot count ended 16 to 5 with seven on target for Spain. The numbers underlined a team that progressed the ball, crowded the area and picked good moments to shoot.

Stats that told the story

Expected goals backed the scoreline. Spain posted 1.77 xG and 2.43 xGOT to Croatia’s 0.44 and 0.90, which reflects both chance volume and shot quality on target. Big chances were 4-1 for the hosts, with Spain converting three of them. From set pieces, Spain made six corners and cashed in, while Croatia produced more successful crosses overall, five of 12, but from less dangerous zones.

Spain’s dominance started with circulation. They attempted 620 passes and completed 83% of their final-third combinations (153 of 184), which helped sustain pressure. The offside tally at 5-0 shows how often Spain tried to run behind. Croatia did post more tackles and interceptions, 21 and 8 to 15 and 6, and led the dribble success rate. Yet the territory kept tilting red.

Goalkeeping trends were decisive. Livaković registered three saves but finished with a goals prevented figure of -1.57, a tough night given the quality sent his way. Unai Simón had one save and a marginal -0.10 goals prevented. On Sofascore, Spain’s average team Rating was 8.09, Croatia’s 6.48, a neat snapshot of the gap on the night.

Bench boost and game management

The second-half script hinged on Spain’s changes. At 57 minutes Luis de la Fuente introduced Pedri and Mikel Merino, and within six minutes both had written their names on the sheet. Pedri drifted between the lines and fed Yamal for the 3-1 strike at 63 minutes, a low left-footed finish that matched the game’s patterns. Later, in minute 89, Merino slid a pass into Nico Williams for 4-1.

Rodri arrived on 72 minutes and went 30 of 30 on passes, adding calm progression to midfield. The shape held, the press re-engaged after any restart, and Spain closed the right spaces to limit Croatia’s counters. Even with Croatia slightly up in second-half duels, Spain’s shot control stayed intact. They produced six shots after the break to Croatia’s four, with three on target. The risk management looked measured rather than passive.

Croatia turned to the bench too. Luka Modrić entered on 81 minutes and completed 11 of 12 passes with one shot on target, helping advance the ball late. Ante Budimir and Mario Pašalić added energy but could not turn the tide. Spain’s final-third accuracy and positional discipline kept the lid on.

MVP: Lamine Yamal shines with 9.9

Lamine Yamal was the difference-maker and then some. He finished with a Sofascore Rating of 9.9, powered by two goals and one assist in 68 minutes. Both of his shots were on target and both ended in the net, with an expected goals on target figure of 0.9948 that reflects clean finishing. He also created two key passes and logged an expected assists value of 0.4899, showing end product on both sides of the coin.

His involvement ran through the build too. Yamal had 60 touches, completed 28 of 37 passes and carried the ball 21 times with seven progressive carries. His total carry progression measured at 137.14 meters, often pulling Croatia’s back line out of shape. Add two interceptions and two tackles won, and the profile is an all-phase winger who stamped every part of the game.

The timeline tells his story. He scored at 2 minutes, assisted Pubill at 31 minutes from a teasing delivery, then made it 3-1 on 63 minutes after linking with Pedri. It was an efficient, decisive display that matched the eye test and the data on Sofascore.

Croatia’s bright moments and what fell short

Croatia had spells where their wing play carried threat. Perišić delivered eight crosses with four accurate, including the assist for Beljo’s header. That goal on 28 minutes was well constructed and timely. For a stretch, Croatia also edged dribble efficiency and won more tackles, which kept them in contact.

The trouble was territory and box control. Croatia produced only five shots and 12 touches in Spain’s box. Spain’s aerial edge, winning five of seven duels, cut off the direct route to goal. The visitors split ground duels almost evenly across the match, but second balls fell Spain’s way too often because of better structure around the ball. When Croatia progressed, Spain generally squeezed the next pass.

Key numbers weighed on the scoreboard. At 0.44 xG, Croatia’s shot quality lagged. Livaković’s negative goals prevented figure underlined how unforgiving Spain’s finishing was once they found feet in the area. Modrić’s late cameo added control and one on-target effort, though the result was already set. On the balance of chances and territory, Croatia needed more volume to make their good crosses count.

A night that fit the numbers

Spain mixed a smart plan with sharp execution. The first goal set the rhythm, the second from a set play rewarded pressure, the third and fourth showcased bench impact. Possession, passing, entries and touches in the box all pointed the same way, and so did the Sofascore Ratings spread. For fans tracking the UEFA Nations League on Sofascore, this was a data-backed performance that looked as convincing as it reads.