Record-breaking Ansu Fati lights up Spain stroll against Ukraine

UEFA Nations League - League A - Group 4 - Spain v Ukraine - Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, Madrid, Spain - September 6, 2020 Spain's Ansu Fati scores their third goal [REUTERS/Sergio Perez]

Spain forward Ansu Fati became the national team’s youngest ever goalscorer as the 17-year-old inspired Luis Enrique’s side to a resounding 4-0 win at home to Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday.

Spain captain Sergio Ramos scored the opening goal with a penalty in the third minute after Fati had earned the spot-kick and the defender also doubled his side’s advantage by heading home in the 29th minute.

Ramos’s double moved him on to 23 goals for Spain, overtaking former Argentina player Daniel Passarella as the highest scoring defender for an international team.

Yet the night belonged to Fati, who finally got a goal worthy of his inspirational performance by firing in off the post from outside the area in the 33rd minute, having gone close with an overhead kick and another effort earlier on.

Substitute Ferran Torres, 20, struck on the volley in the 84th minute also to get his first goal for his country and round off a superb evening for a new generation of players as defenders Eric Garcia and Sergio Reguilon made their debuts.

“I congratulated Ansu, he’s a very young player who gives us that freshness and desire which we need. It’s great to have a new injection of youth and we’re very happy to have players like him,” said Ramos of his teenaged team mate.

“But it’s not just him, it’s all the players that proved themselves today, this is their moment and we hope they reach the top level.

“We absolutely deserved this result, we kept the ball well, we were solid in defence and were aggressive, pressing them all over the pitch and winning all the battles on the pitch.”

The victory took Spain top of League A Group 4 with four points from two games.

Barcelona´s forward Ansu Fati reacts during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona against Valencia CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 14, 2019. (Photo by PAU BARRENA / AFP)

 

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