World Cup: Yamal scores on injury return as Spain thrash Saudi Arabia

Lamine Yamal's return ignited Spain's World Cup campaign as they thrashed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta. Yamal, starting for the first time in two months after a hamstring injury, broke Spain's World Cup goal drought just 10 minutes into the match. Mikel Oyarzabal added two goals, and an own goal by Hassan al-Tambakti sealed the comprehensive victory for the European champions.

Coach Luis de la Fuente expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, "We had to recover good feelings, correct a few things from the last game, but we need to keep improving if we want to achieve our target of getting to the final on July 19." The win moved Spain to the top of Group H, a significant boost after a disappointing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opener, which had highlighted their reliance on Yamal.

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We had to recover good feelings, correct a few things from the last game, but we need to keep improving if we want to achieve our target of getting to the final on July 19.

De la Fuente also noted that the players felt "stung" by the criticism following their first match and responded emphatically. Yamal's early goal ended Spain's long wait for a World Cup goal, coming after over 2,500 passes and 50 attempts since their last strike in the tournament. The Saudis, despite significant investment in their domestic league, showed little threat, with coach Georgios Donis appearing frustrated by two goals conceded from corners.

Oyarzabal's brace and an own goal from a corner secured the win by halftime. De la Fuente opted to substitute both Yamal and Oyarzabal at the break, explaining, "Had we had a different result, he (Yamal) would've played for longer but given the result and that the match was under control, we considered his contribution was enough for us to have him in the next game." The substitutions did not disrupt Spain's attacking momentum, with the fourth goal coming from a corner that led to an own goal.

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Had we had a different result, he (Yamal) would've played for longer but given the result and that the match was under control, we considered his contribution was enough for us to have him in the next game.