
JUST days after becoming the Spanish national team’s youngest player, Barcelona’s 17-year-old rising superstar Ansu Fati became the youngest scorer for his country in Nations League play Sunday. The winger, who turns 18 Oct. 31, started for Spain against Ukraine, with his team entering the half with a 3-0 lead. Fati was electric in the first 45 minutes, winning a penalty kick, nutmegging players, going for bicycle kicks and more. But his biggest moment came in the 32nd minute when he scored his first goal for the senior national team. With the ball at the top of the box and defenders looking to catch him, Fati waited until they had shifted their weight past him before he cut back and delivered an absolutely perfect ball to the far post, knocking his shot off the right post and in. It’s a brilliant goal and just further verification he is the real deal. Hopefully Barca’s new coach, Ronald Koeman, has been watching him closely and gives him consistent minutes this upcoming season alongside Lionel Messi. Fati’s potential is absolutely out of this world. Over the last year, he also became the youngest scorer for Barca, the youngest to score two goals in a game in La Liga, the youngest player to score in the Champions League. Sergio Ramos had given Spain an early lead by converting a penalty earned by Fati and the defender struck again with a header, while substitute Ferran Torres rounded off an outstanding team display. Fati did not waste his time in making his mark on the game, winning a penalty after bursting into the box from the left wing after effortlessly nutmegging an opponent. Elsewhere, Germany was still waiting for its first Nations League win after the side gave a tired performance and was held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland. Ilkay Gundogan gave Joachim Loew’s side the perfect start with a clinical goal in the 14th minute but Silvan Widmer earned Switzerland a draw just before the hour.(SD-Agencies) |