Stuttgart (Germany) (AFP) – Jose Luis Gaya snatched a late point for Spain in their 1-1 UEFA Nations League draw with Germany in Stuttgart, as Barcelona starlet Ansu Fati became second youngest player to ever play for ‘La Roja’.
Germany were seconds away from victory in the League A, Group 4 clash after Chelsea’s new signing Timo Werner gave the hosts a second-half lead only for Gaya to tap home a Rodrigo Moreno header in the sixth minute of added time.
Barcelona teenager Fati came off the bench to become the youngest Spanish international for 84 years.
Fati, aged 17 years and 308 days, entered the fray as a replacement for Jesus Navas just a few days older than Angel Zubieta was when he faced Czechoslovakia for Spain in 1936.
The Spanish squandered a clear first-half chance as only a desperate sliding tackle from Germany goalkeeper Kevin Trapp denied Moreno the chance to fire into an empty net on 14 minutes after a mix-up in the German defence.
It remained goalless at the break, but the Germans made the breakthrough when Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan started a move which released Werner to score on 51 minutes.
The 24-year-old, who joined Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in June, got the better of veteran Spain captain Sergio Ramos to slot home with his right foot.
The new Blues star should have doubled Germany’s lead with an hour gone.
Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane, who went close with two long-range shots in the first-half, played him into the area, but with Spain goalkeeper David de Gea beaten, Werner could only hit the side netting.
Having only previously played a handful of minutes for former club Man City following his knee injury in August last year, Sane made way for defender Matthias Ginter on 63 minutes as Germany coach Joachim Loew switched tactics.
Fati came within a whisker of becoming the youngest player to score for Spain when he headed into the net in the second minute of added time only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
However, Spain were not to be denied and seconds before the final whistle, Valencia defender Gaya netted to snatch a draw while the German defence hoped in vain for the equaliser to also be ruled offside.
Spain now face Group 4A leaders Ukraine on Sunday in Madrid, while Germany on Sunday are away to bottom side Switzerland, who lost 2-1 to the Ukrainians in Kiev.
