The standout result of the evening was Spain's commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. "La Furia Roja" answered their critics after the opening draw and moved into second place in Group H.
Spain — Saudi Arabia 4-0 (Group H)
The match at Atlanta Stadium kicked off at 19:00 Kyiv time and ended in complete Spanish domination. As early as the 10th minute, Lamine Yamal broke the deadlock — the 17-year-old Barcelona winger converted a cut-back from Oyarzabal to score his first-ever World Cup goal in his very first tournament start. Yamal became only the second teenager after Gavi (2022) to score for Spain at a World Cup.
Mikel Oyarzabal turned the first half into a personal showcase: a goal in the 21st minute and another in the 24th — a brace in three minutes — put Spain 3-0 up before the break. By half-time, the Spanish had registered 15 shots on goal compared to just one from Saudi Arabia. In the 49th minute, defender Hassan Al-Tambakti turned the ball into his own net from a corner kick, setting the final score at 4-0. De la Fuente substituted Yamal and Oyarzabal at half-time — the job had been done.
Tournament implications: Spain move to 4 points and are all but guaranteed a place in the round of 32. Saudi Arabia remain on 1 point after two matches and retain only a theoretical chance of progressing. Uruguay and Cape Verde face each other later tonight — their result will determine whether Saudi Arabia stay in contention.
Oyarzabal's post-match comment (Al Jazeera): the Real Sociedad forward said he was delighted with the win and his own performance following criticism after the Cape Verde match.
Currently in Progress
At 22:00 Kyiv time, the Group G match Belgium — Iran kicked off at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Results will be covered in the morning digest.
Photo: Al Jazeera Staff · Editorial (source)
