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Sergio Ramos missed two penalties as Spain wanted a late equaliser from Gerard Moreno to attract 1-1 with Switzerland within the Nations League on Saturday. Ramos was making his 177th look for Spain to turn out to be essentially the most capped European participant in historical past, pulling away from Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, who has 176. But as an alternative of a celebration in Basel, it was an evening to overlook for the defender, who noticed one spot-kick saved by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer however backed himself to attain a second, solely to overlook once more with a dreadful tried ‘Panenka’.
Spain coach Luis Enrique defended his captain after the sport.
“Sergio’s numbers for penalties are out of this world,” he mentioned. “If there had been a third penalty, he would have taken that one as well.”
Ramos had beforehand scored 25 penalties in a row and his inaccuracy from the spot value Spain, who will now must beat Germany in Sevilla on Tuesday to achieve the ultimate 4.
“We wanted to win here and the team tried until the end,” mentioned Moreno. “It wasn’t to be but it’s still in our hands to get through, even if we have a difficult game.”
Enrique’s facet have solely scored thrice of their final 5 matches and so they struggled once more to interrupt by means of in opposition to a well-organised Switzerland, who led by means of Remo Freuler and likewise had Nico Elvedi despatched off with 11 minutes left.
Spain’s press was overwhelmed too simply for the primary purpose as Switzerland counter-attacked at pace.
With Ramos out of place, Breel Embolo raced in behind earlier than pulling a cross again to Freuler, who opened up his left foot and skewed the ball brilliantly into the far nook.
Ferran Torres might have equalised on the stroke of half-time however fired over on the again publish earlier than Ramos started his frantic half an hour.
First, he brilliantly blocked Freuler’s shot on the road after Unai Simon made a multitude of dashing out after which the Spain captain received the primary penalty, his header hitting the arm of Sergio Rodriguez, who had turned his again.
But Ramos was unable to transform, his shot properly saved by Sommer, who refused to commit too quickly and received down rapidly to his proper.
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Twenty minutes later, Alvaro Morata was fouled by Elvedi and Ramos stepped as much as make amends, solely to compound his earlier error by lacking once more, this time with an tried chip that Sommer simply collected.
Spain lastly discovered an equaliser within the 89th minute as Moreno capitalised on a tiring Swiss defence by changing Sergio Reguilon’s cross. But Switzerland held on for a degree.
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