Spain dominates Saudi Arabia 4-0 in 2026 World Cup clash
Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Spain secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their 2026 World Cup match.
- Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal were key scorers, with Yamal scoring the opener and Oyarzabal netting a brace.
- The win significantly boosts Spain's chances of advancing to the knockout stage, with one group game remaining.
Spain, a favorite for the 2026 World Cup, rebounded from a disappointing draw with Cape Verde to secure a crucial 4-0 victory against Saudi Arabia. The win all but guarantees their progression to the Round of 16, with a final group match against Uruguay on June 26.
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Eighteen-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal, despite concerns about his fitness, was instrumental in the win. He opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a decisive finish after a precise cross from Mikel Oyarzabal. Oyarzabal himself went on to score a brace, capitalizing on a corner kick in the 21st minute and a brilliant team combination in the 23rd minute. His performance could have been even more impressive, but his shot in the 36th minute struck the crossbar.
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Saudi Arabia struggled to gain possession, holding only 29% of the ball and posing little threat to the Spanish goal. Their efforts were further hampered by an own goal from Hassan Al-Tambakti in the 49th minute, following a save from Mohammed Al-Owais on a volley by Marc Cucurella. The second half saw Spain ease off, with coach Luis de la Fuente substituting Yamal and Oyarzabal at halftime to conserve energy.
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Despite the comfortable win, Spain sent a clear message to their competitors. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, who drew their opening match against Uruguay 1-1, still has a chance to advance as one of the best third-placed teams. They will face Cape Verde next, a match that will be critical for their qualification hopes.
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Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.