Madrid: Spain swiftly regained their form in their second World Cup match, securing a commanding 4-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in Group H, with Lamine Yamal opening the scoring and Mikel Oyarzabal netting twice.
According to France24.com, Spain's 2010 champions had a sluggish start with a frustrating draw against Cape Verde in their opening match. However, they wasted no time against Saudi Arabia, with Yamal scoring in the 10th minute by converting a cross from Oyarzabal. Oyarzabal, previously criticized for his lack of engagement in the Cape Verde match, not only assisted Yamal but also added two goals himself in the 21st and 24th minutes.
Spain's dominance was evident by halftime, leading to the substitution of Yamal and Oyarzabal before the second half began. An own goal from Hassan Altambakti further increased Spain's lead early in the second half.
De la Fuente celebrated his 65th birthday with this victory, and Yamal, who had minimal playtime in recent months, invigorated the team at Atlanta Stadium. Yamal's first touch drew cheers as he skillfully maneuvered past his marker and delivered a cross cleared by Abdulelah Alamri, who scored Saudi Arabia's goal in their match against Uruguay.
Spain's opening goal came when Oyarzabal delivered a precise ball across the box, with Yamal sliding in to score his first World Cup goal. The goal relaxed Spain, allowing them to dismantle the Saudi defense, leading to a second goal from a corner by Dani Olmo. Aymeric Laporte's header set up Oyarzabal for his second goal.
Spain continued their momentum with a third goal, expertly executed with a pass from Pedro Porro to Olmo, who assisted Oyarzabal's volley. The striker demonstrated his capability when provided with quality service.
Spain replaced Yamal and Oyarzabal at halftime but maintained their intensity. A corner led to a Cucurella volley, which deflected off Altambakti into the net. Nico Williams and Mikel Merino gained valuable playtime as they returned from injuries.
The European champions continued to create opportunities but eased their intensity, reflecting on a performance that even Cape Verde's experienced goalkeeper Vozinha might have struggled against. De la Fuente had cautioned his players about the criticism following their initial result, and they responded decisively.
The victory places Spain at four points in the standings, ahead of Cape Verde and Uruguay, who each have two points after their draw. Saudi Arabia remains at the bottom with one point.