Event of the Day: Spain versus England
Our event of the day is the UEFA Nations League fixture between Spain and England at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville. Spain currently lead the League A group they share with England and Croatia. A win tonight would guarantee them a place in the knockout stage of the competition. Meanwhile, England need to keep their hopes of competition success alive. With England still seeking to cement themselves as an up and coming force in European football, this could be an exciting night of international football. When the UEFA Nations League began last month, Spain were looking to regain their reputation as a giant of European football following an underwhelming World Cup campaign. The road ahead was challenging, as they were drawn in a group with the World Cup runners up and the World Cup 4th place finishers. However, they quickly dispelled any doubt, beating England 2-1 at Wembley before recording a 6-0 victory against Croatia in Elche. Seville’s Estadio Benito Villamarín is something of a good luck charm for the Spanish team. It has played host to 14 international matches played by Spain. Spain has won 13 of those matches and has not lost at the stadium since 1991.
Meanwhile, England come into this match following a goalless draw against Croatia on Friday. Notably, the game was played behind closed doors due to UEFA sanctions against Croatia. The Nations League seemed like the perfect opportunity for the young English side to build on their 4th place finish at the World Cup. However after their loss at home to Spain, they failed to capitalise on numerous occasions against Croatia, having to settle instead for a 0-0 draw, and just their first point of the tournament. This makes tonight’s game against Spain a must win if England want to comfortably avoid being relegated to the competition’s League B. If England does lose tonight, their future will rest on the final game of the group, when they host Croatia at Wembley on November 18th.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the MLB, where the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium for Game 3 of the NLCS. As the series travels to Los Angeles, the teams are tied 1-1. A late rally from the Dodgers, notably a 2-run home run from Justin Turner, gave them a narrow victory in Saturday’s Game 2. The Dodgers are hoping to win the best-of-7 series to reach their second consecutive World Series. Meanwhile, the Brewers are looking for their first World Series appearance since 1982. Elsewhere, on the WTA Tour, the Round of 32 begins at the Luxembourg Open, with Carina Witthöft looking to defend her title. In the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings look for their first win of the season as they travel to the Bell Centre to face the Montreal Canadiens.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by England; UEFA