World champions Spain maintained their perfect start to their Nations League campaign with a victory over the Czech Republic in Oviedo.

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the sixth minute when, despite being surrounded by three defenders, he managed to curl a superb strike from the edge of the penalty area inside the far post.

Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri, now at Barcelona, doubled Spain's advantage in the 35th minute, running at the away defence, linking up with Dani Olmo and firing the ball into the top corner from near the penalty spot.

Jiri Slama pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 69th minute with a low shot past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.

The Czechs ended the game with 10 men as Wolves defender Ladislav Krejci was sent off for two bookable offences, before Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino sealed the victory, converting a loose ball in the 89th minute.

Spain extended their winning run to 10 matches, since a shock 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in the group phase of the World Cup.

Luis de la Fuente's side have nine points from their three Nations League matches and stay top of Group A3, three points ahead of England, who thrashed Croatia 7-0 in the other match in the section earlier on Saturday.

Spain play in Croatia on Tuesday and a victory would take them into the quarter-finals with two group games to spare.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Spain beat Czech Republic to maintain winning run" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Live Commentary metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Football2026 Live Editorial Desk. Readers following "Spain beat Czech Republic to maintain winning run" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.