Mikel Oyarzabal scored two impressive goals in Spain’s 3-0 win over Serbia, while Florian Wirtz scored twice and assisted two more as Germany overcame Switzerland 4-3 in pre-World Cup friendlies on Friday.
In another match, Ben White scored on his return to the England squad but later conceded a penalty, resulting in a 1-1 draw with Uruguay, while the Netherlands defeated Norway 2-1 in Amsterdam.
White’s selection by England coach Thomas Tuchel sparked controversy, four years after he left his teammates during the last World Cup. He replaced Fikayo Tomori with 21 minutes remaining in a match that drew mixed reactions from the 80,000 fans at Wembley, some of whom booed his entry.
“He needs to take it on the chin,” Tuchel stated. “We will always protect him and hopefully we can put it behind us because he is ready to write some new chapters and we are ready to give him the chance, so hopefully everyone can move on and accept it.”
White redeemed himself by scoring ten minutes before the end, following a flicked corner from Cole Palmer that allowed him to poke the ball in at the far post. However, Uruguay equalized when White fouled Federico Viñas in the box as the match approached stoppage time.
The referee awarded a penalty after a video review, which Federico Valverde converted, leaving the match tied. This marked the first goal conceded by England in seven matches, and Tuchel expressed his frustration, declaring it “not a penalty.”
Harry Maguire echoed Tuchel’s sentiments, voicing his displeasure over the lack of a red card for a harsh tackle by Ronaldo Araujo on Phil Foden. “You don’t see tackles like that and not get red cards,” Maguire remarked.
In Basel, Germany achieved their sixth consecutive win, with Wirtz playing a pivotal role. The match began with Germany looking vulnerable as Dan Ndoye scored for Switzerland in the 17th minute. Germany equalized shortly after when Jonathan Tah converted Wirtz’s cross.
However, Switzerland regained the lead just before halftime with a diving header from Breel Embolo. Wirtz then orchestrated Germany’s comeback with a well-placed pass that allowed Serge Gnabry to score just before the break.
Wirtz then showcased his talent with a stunning long-range goal that put Germany ahead 3-2 early in the second half. Joel Monteiro leveled for Switzerland with a powerful shot late in the game, but Wirtz sealed the victory for Germany with another excellent strike from the edge of the box.
This match concluded Switzerland’s 10-match unbeaten streak. In Villarreal, Oyarzabal was instrumental for Spain, scoring two goals in their 3-0 victory over Serbia, a match that was arranged on short notice after their original fixture with Argentina was canceled due to conflict in the Middle East.
Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 16th minute, and his second goal came just before halftime with a powerful left-footed shot from nearly 25 meters out. This performance marked his 26th goal in 53 international appearances.
After Oyarzabal was substituted, Spain continued to dominate, with Osasuna’s Víctor Muñoz scoring shortly after his introduction. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands defeated Norway 2-1 despite missing star striker Erling Haaland, with Virgil van Dijk equalizing after Norway took the lead.
The Netherlands extended their unbeaten streak to nine games, with their last loss occurring a year ago against Spain. In other matches, Algeria thrashed Guatemala 7-0, while Egypt won 4-0 against Saudi Arabia.
Morocco managed a 1-1 draw with Ecuador, equalizing late in the game to secure a point.