World Cup 2026 Corner: Spain Back Into Winning Ways as They Hammer Saudi Arabia

 

Spain finally secured their first victory of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after cruising to a convincing 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. Lamine Yamal scored his first-ever World Cup goal, while Mikel Oyarzabal netted a brace to inspire La Furia Roja to an important three points.

 

Spain Hammer Saudi Arabia as Yamal Opens World Cup Account

After being held to a frustrating goalless draw by Cabo Verde in their opening fixture, La Furia Roja understood the importance of securing maximum points in their second Group H match. Luis de la Fuente's side adopted an attacking approach from the opening whistle, with Lamine Yamal handed his first start of the tournament.

The Barcelona star immediately made his presence felt as Spain's attacking play looked sharper, quicker, and far more fluid. Their early pressure eventually paid off after just 10 minutes when Yamal opened his World Cup account with a close-range finish.

The opening goal boosted Spain's confidence, and they doubled their advantage in the 21st minute through Mikel Oyarzabal. The Real Sociedad forward continued his impressive display by grabbing his second goal just three minutes later, giving Spain a commanding 3-0 lead heading into halftime.

In the second half, La Furia Roja lowered their intensity and attacking tempo, with Yamal being substituted early after the break. Nevertheless, Spain still managed to add a fourth goal courtesy of an own goal from Hassan Al Tambakti following pressure created by Marc Cucurella's effort.

The emphatic victory moved Spain to the top of Group H with four points. De la Fuente's men now need just one point from their final group match against Uruguay to secure a place in the knockout stage.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, are not out of contention just yet. However, victory against Cabo Verde in their final group match is a must if they hope to keep their qualification dreams alive. Following Uruguay's 2-2 draw with Cabo Verde, the South Americans and the Blue Sharks sit on two points each, setting up a thrilling conclusion to Group H.

Match Notes

Spain

• La Furia Roja produced a much-improved attacking performance, particularly with Yamal starting and constantly attracting defensive attention.
• Spain still need to tighten up defensively, as they allowed several dangerous counter-attacking situations that stronger opponents could punish.
• De la Fuente must also find ways to avoid becoming overly reliant on Yamal in the attacking phase.

Saudi Arabia

• The Green Falcons struggled offensively and found it difficult to maintain possession for long periods.
• Saudi Arabia also need to improve the quality of their counter-attacks, which were broken down too easily by Spain.
• Georgios Donis' side face another difficult challenge against Cabo Verde, who head into the final matchday full of confidence after drawing against both Spain and Uruguay.

 

🇪🇸 Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

World Cup 2026 – Group H

Stat	Spain	Saudi Arabia
Possession	71%	29%
Total Shots (On Target)	23 (11)	7 (2)
Expected Goals (xG)	3.18	0.54
Dangerous Attacks	64	24
Yellow Cards	1	3
Red Cards	0	0