Rice later won the ball high and England earned a second corner. A closer reading of the England side in the same blog judged the defence short of the required standard, while also saying Spain's starting XI gave England a good chance. Pickford was described as decent for England, with the caveat that a better option remained possible.
The contest was framed less as a settled verdict than as a test of whether England could impose themselves on Spain and on their own habits. The same account linked that question to the memory of a World Cup semi-final collapse already treated as a famous failure of nerve.
That earlier Wembley game was recalled in blunt terms. England could have been close to impregnable at 3-1, the live coverage said, but might also have been 3-0 down before they scored. The point drawn from that defeat was that sides who sit back and hope time runs out do not win tournaments.
Spain were expected to keep the ball and drag England's midfielders wide, opening the central space that Tuchel knows his team must not leave empty. The coverage added that stopping that was easier said than done.
Early action described England moving the ball, with a long diagonal finding Hall, who crossed low at the first attempt. England then recycled possession quickly to Gordon inside the box. He chose to pass rather than drive a finish he might have taken.
The Metropolitano camera was called vertiginously high, though still useful for watching how Spain pass and move. England were said to have qualified and done their homework, and to be in a position to try to top the group. Other teams named in contention from the remaining A-groups were Italy, France and Belgium; the Netherlands, Greece and Germany; and Portugal, Denmark and Norway.