Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has shown little concern following their defeat to Scotland at Hampden Park. While Scotland outshot their visitors, de la Fuente claimed he was satisfied with their performance, calling Scott McTominay’s brace ‘two accidents’.
Speaking to the media after the match, de la Fuente told Marca that it was a defeat that hurt.
“Painful defeat. Analysing the game, in these first minutes you thinks that we have done things well, well enough to have had another result and get into the game. I will stick with those positive things, we have to improve a lot and I am delighted with the attitude of the players. We have tried everything we practiced, but it has not worked out”.
In his view, the two goals conceded were unfortunate rather than demonstrative of wider issues.
“You have to appreciate that at a high level any error penalizes you. There have been two accidents in the game, there is no ‘but’ or a reproach towards the players and this should serve as learning. The first half has shown to a great extent everything we have worked on.”
De la Fuente was adamant that Spain are headed in the right direction though, admitting that while some of the squad might change before Spain head to the final four of the Nations League, the idea would not.
“You can always change things between now and June. I won’t move an inch from the idea that I transfer to the players. You have to improve and work more, of course, adding more details, but I have seen them identified with the idea. Of course I bet on the players on this squad, the same as others who have not been able to come. I’d bet on them a thousand times.”
Spain did have chances in the first half, with Joselu Mato hitting the woodwork, but equally Lyndon Dykes and Ryan Christie came as close to another goal as Spain to beating Angus Gunn.
Players Rodri Hernandez would go on to bemoan the time-wasting and David Garcia the length of the grass, but Spain looked powerless to break Scotland down in the second half. Ultimately, Spain struggled to live with the Scottish intensity.
Image via EFE/EPA/Robert Perry
