Spain remain top of their Nations League group after a narrow victory over Switzerland in Madrid.
Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal scored the only goal early in the first half.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Adama Traore made his competitive debut for Spain, while Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri came on for Switzerland after being passed fit following a negative Covid test.
David de Gea’s clean sheet capped a satisfying night for the home side.
De Gea, who replaced Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga, was forced into a smart early save by Loris Benito, palming away the Switzerland wing-back’s low shot at his near post.
But any confidence the visitors may have taken from that early sight of goal seemed to be snuffed out in the 14th minute when some inexplicable play in their own penalty area was punished by Oyarzabal.
A sloppy short pass from goalkeeper Yann Sommer was intercepted by Mikel Merino, who set up the forward for a simple finish and his third international goal.
Sommer went some way to making up for his error with a decent save in the 28th minute, turning away a powerful downward header from Manchester City’s £20m winger Ferren Torres.
Oyarzabal missed a glorious chance to double his tally shortly after the break when the Swiss goalkeeper palmed a shot into his path, but he was unable to react quickly enough to turn the ball in at the back post.
Barcelona’s teenage attacker Ansu Fati had an uneventful night and was replaced by 24-year-old Traore.
Germany won 2-1 in Ukraine in the other match in Group A4 to remain two points behind Spain after three matches.
Line-ups
Spain
- 1de Gea
- 22Navas
- 15Ramos
- 4Torres
- 14GayÃ
- 5Busquets
- 6MerinoBooked at 64mins
- 18TorresSubstituted forRodriat 88′minutes
- 7OlmoSubstituted forCanalesat 57′minutes
- 17FatiSubstituted forTraoréat 57′minutes
- 21OyarzabalSubstituted forMorenoat 73′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Llorente
- 3Reguilón
- 8Ceballos
- 9Moreno
- 10Canales
- 11Traoré
- 12GarcÃa
- 13Arrizabalaga
- 16Rodri
- 19Rodrigo
- 20Roberto
- 23Simón
Switzerland
- 1Sommer
- 3WidmerSubstituted forGavranovicat 86′minutes
- 4Elvedi
- 22SchärBooked at 30mins
- 13RodrÃguez
- 2BenitoSubstituted forZuberat 81′minutes
- 15SowSubstituted forVargasat 60′minutes
- 10Xhaka
- 8FreulerBooked at 74minsSubstituted forFernandesat 86′minutes
- 9Seferovic
- 18MehmediSubstituted forShaqiriat 60′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Omeragic
- 6Cömert
- 7Itten
- 11Vargas
- 12Mvogo
- 14Zuber
- 16Fassnacht
- 17Lotomba
- 19Gavranovic
- 20Fernandes
- 21Omlin
- 23Shaqiri
Live Text
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Match ends, Spain 1, Switzerland 0.
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Second Half ends, Spain 1, Switzerland 0.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Fabian Schär.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Nico Elvedi.
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Offside, Switzerland. Granit Xhaka tries a through ball, but Mario Gavranovic is caught offside.
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David de Gea (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Nico Elvedi (Switzerland).
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Substitution, Spain. Rodrigo replaces Ferran Torres.
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Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Pau Torres.
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Substitution, Switzerland. Mario Gavranovic replaces Silvan Widmer.
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Substitution, Switzerland. Edimilson Fernandes replaces Remo Freuler.
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Attempt missed. Gerard Moreno (Spain) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Sergio Canales.
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Substitution, Switzerland. Steven Zuber replaces Loris Benito.
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Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Sergio Canales.
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Attempt missed. José Gayà (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jesús Navas.
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Remo Freuler (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Sergio Busquets (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Remo Freuler (Switzerland).
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Substitution, Spain. Gerard Moreno replaces Mikel Oyarzabal.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Ricardo RodrÃguez.