Powered by the spark of Lamine Yamal, Spain cruised to a commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Group H, with Mikel Oyarzabal delivering a statement performance by finding the net twice. After a disappointing first outing at the World Cup, Luis de la Fuente’s team looked sharper from the start and quickly settled into a rhythm that never allowed the Saudis to gain control.
Yamal broke the deadlock in the 10th minute, and Oyarzabal—who had failed to record a single touch in Spain’s goalless draw with Cape Verde on Monday—struck twice in quick succession. The goals came before halftime, leaving Spain’s match effectively decided long before the second half began.
A goal shortly after the break came via an own goal, but it did little to change the momentum. Spain then made a series of adjustments, using the comfortable lead to freshen up their lineup and give their scorers a rest.
“Every match is different even if the game plan is similar,” said de la Fuente. “We studied the previous game, and we all agreed we needed more direct, vertical attacking play to go deeper. We saw that today, and from minute one we were trying to suffocate the opponent.”
De la Fuente marked his 65th birthday with a win, while Yamal—whose only recent action in the past two months came as a substitute against Cape Verde—helped inject energy into a Spain side that returned to Atlanta Stadium.
The atmosphere lifted instantly when Yamal received his first touch. He spun past his marker, then cut a teasing ball across the area that was eventually cleared by Abdulelah Alamri, the same player who had scored for Saudi Arabia in their 1-1 draw with Uruguay.
Spain’s first real breakthrough began with Oyarzabal teeing up the opening goal by sending a pass into the danger zone, and Yamal arrived at the back post to slide it in for his first World Cup goal.
After struggling in their first match, the early strike eased Spain’s pressure, and they began to open up the Saudi defense at will. Their second goal arrived from a corner.
Dani Olmo worked the ball back into a congested area, and Saudi Arabia couldn’t clear their lines. Aymeric Laporte then nodded the ball down to Oyarzabal, who drove it into the net.
Three minutes later, Spain made it 3-0 with another well-crafted finish. Pedro Porro floated a pass into the box, and the ball stayed in the air until it found the back of the net.
Marc Cucurella’s hooked pass found Olmo, who powered a header into the six-yard box. From there, Oyarzabal met it with a volley tap-in, underlining that when Spain provide him the right service, he is capable of delivering what the team needs.
Oyarzabal has already scored six goals in Spain’s six qualifiers, and he came close to completing a hat-trick when a shot from a wide angle bounced off the bar. With Spain smelling further opportunities, they continued to press for the final blow.
“We’re so happy to have turned things around,” Oyarzabal said. “I didn’t have that many touches of the ball in the last game or such a good performance.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m trying to prove myself,” he added. “I’ve always said I’ve felt appreciated and valued by the people whose opinions matter most to me—my teammates, the coach, and everyone we work with.”
In the second half, Spain made changes by replacing Yamal and Oyarzabal, yet they still carried the same attacking threat. When the Saudi goalkeeper denied Cucurella’s volley from a corner, the ball ricocheted off defender Hassan Altambakti and crossed the line.
Even with their lead assured, Spain kept generating chances, though it was understandable that they eased off slightly on a day when even Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper, Vozinha, would have found it difficult to deal with this improved version of Spain.
Spain move to four points in the group, while Saudi Arabia remain on one point after two matches. Cape Verde and Uruguay, the other teams in Group H, meet later on Sunday in Miami.
