Spain decision including call on Leeds United's Diego Llorente backfires

Llorente had been handed his first international start since March of last year when lining up alongside centre-back partner Pau Torres in Friday's Nations League hosting of Portugal which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Llorente played the full duration of the match, completing a full game for Spain for the first time since October 2020.

But the Whites defender and Torres both dropped to the bench for Sunday evening's contest against the Czechs as boss Luis Enrique shuffled his pack to name Eric Garcia and Inigo Martinez as his centre-backs.

Enrique made eight changes to the side that lined up against Portugal, including naming a totally different back four.

But Spain's back line looked all at sea and the visitors were carved open in just the fourth minute as their attempts to catch Jan Kuchta offside completely failed and Kuchta squared the ball to Jakub Pesek for a tap in.

Seventeen-year-old Barcelona wonder boy Gavi then drew Enrique's side level with a cool, calm finish on the stroke of half-time.

The Spanish back line was breached once again in the 55th minute but Kuchta could only fire wide after being played in one on one.

Spain's Marco Asensio then thumped a fine strike against the post.

But the Czechs once again got in behind the visiting side's back line once in the 68th minute and this time Kuchta brilliantly finished with a majestic chip over keeper Unai Simon.

At the other end, a Ferran Torres header clipped the post but Martinez equalised in the 89th minute with a header from an Asensio free-kick that crossed the line in off the bar.

Elsewhere on Sunday, 22-year old Leeds midfielder Alfie McCalmont's wait for a return to full international action continued with Northern Ireland

McCalmont is back in the current Northern Ireland senior squad for whom he last last stepped out for in September of last year.

The midfielder was an unused substitute in Thursday night's 1-0 defeat against Nations League visitors Greece and again stayed on the bench in Sunday night's Nations League fixture against Cyprus in Larnaca which ended in a goalless draw.

Whites winger Dan James took centre stage on Sunday's international front as he played a big role in helping Wales qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

United's Helder Costa was also in action for Angola against Madagascar whilst summer signing Brenden Aaronson was named on the USA bench for a friendly against Uruguay.