Spain and Croatia meet with quarterfinal place at stake

Spain was set to face Croatia in a UEFA Nations League group match in Split on Tuesday, October 6, with a win capable of securing Spain’s place in the quarterfinals. The pre-match reports did not establish the result, and the teams’ listed kickoff times varied by time zone: 6:45 p.m. GMT, 7:45 p.m. BST and 8:45 p.m. local time. One listing gave 12:15 a.m. IST on Wednesday, October 7. Spain entered the match with nine points from three games and top spot in the group, while Croatia had three points and was third, according to one preview. Spain had won all three of its Nations League matches; Croatia had won once, against Czechia, and lost its next two games. The reports said Spain could confirm qualification with a victory, while one said a draw would all but guarantee passage. Those were pre-match assessments, not confirmation of qualification. Croatia’s most recent defeat was a 7-0 loss to England at home. All three previews described that result, with two calling it the heaviest defeat in the history of Croatia’s men’s national team. Croatia had also lost 4-1 to Spain in their earlier meeting in the group, according to two reports.