close
Wednesday April 24, 2024

Germany remain winless as Spain crush Ukraine

By Agencies
September 08, 2020

BASEL, Switzerland: Germany’s wait for their first UEFA Nations League win goes on after they were held to a draw by Switzerland in Basel on Sunday.

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan gave the visitors the perfect start at St Jakob-Park, finishing clinically from 20 yards on 14 minutes. But the hosts levelled just before the hour, Silvan Widmer converting from inside the penalty area.

It was Switzerland’s first point of the campaign, leaving Germany with two draws from two in League A Group 4. Germany, World Cup winners as recently as 2014, also failed to win any of their four games in the inaugural Nations League two years ago.

Meanwhile, Ansu Fati became Spain’s youngest ever goalscorer and Sergio Ramos scored twice as Spain cruised past Ukraine 4-0 in Madrid. In just the third minute of the first half, 17-year-old Fati drew a foul from Serhiy Kyrvstov to earn a penalty that Sergio Ramos converted clinically.

The captain scored his and Spain’s second by looping a header over Andriy Pyatov just before the half-hour mark, only for Fati to steal his thunder with a wonderful strike just three minutes later.

The Barcelona wonderkid cut inside from the left flank again before fizzing a spectacular finish beyond Pyatov from outside the area. Ferran Torres later completed the scoring for Spain.

Spain now move top of Group A4, one point ahead of second-placed Ukraine. In other matches, Wales edged Bulgaria 1-0 to top the second-tier Group B4, while Ireland lost 1-0 at home to Finland.

Russia maintained their winning start in B3 with a 3-2 triumph in Hungary to build on their opening success over Serbia, who were reduced to 10 men in a 0-0 draw with Turkey. Greece won 2-1 in Kosovo to top Group C3 on goals scored from Slovenia, who saw off Moldova 1-0.