Spain responded to a disappointing 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their opening FIFA World Cup match, to beat Saudi Arabia 4-0, with Lamine Yamal starring in his first ever World Cup appearance.
Story of the match
Already, Yamal was getting the crowd off its feet, shoving Salem Al-Dawsari off the ball, before getting a cross in.
Yamal opens his World Cup account in style
The 18-year-old was the man that everyone had come to see, and he delivered after 10 minutes in Atlanta.
Mikel Oyarzabal squared a beautiful pass across the goal, where Yamal slid in to open his World Cup account. The Barcelona superstar was now the seventh youngest scorer in World Cup history at the age of 18 and 344 days.
Mikel Oyarzabal turns from provider to scorer for 2-0
The European Champions doubled their lead ten minutes later, Oyarzabal turning from provider to scorer. Another Spain corner fell to Dani Olmo, whose scuffed effort was deflected, but kept alive by Aymeric Laporte, who headed in onto the Sociedad forward to poke into the corner.
Oyarzabal nets brace moments after his first to make it 3-0
Their first game in Atlanta against Cape Verde had been difficult, but this was a different level. Oyarzabal made it 3-0 mere minutes after netting his first of the tournament, Olmo nodding on a cross from Marc Cucurella, before Oyarzabal knocked the ball in at the far post.
Spain were relentless, Oyarzabal coming within inches of a hat-trick after clipping an effort off the crossbar at a tight angle.
With the game virtually sealed at halftime, Oyarzabal and Yamal were both taken off for Yeremy Pino and Ferran Torres.
Own goal extends Spain's lead to four
Three minutes after half-time, yet another own goal at the World Cup saw Spain extend their lead. Cucurella’s volley was well saved by the leg of Mohammed Al Owais, but unfortunately bounced in off Hassan Al Tambakti.
Porro and Ferran Torres then both had quick efforts which forced Al Owais into making a brilliant double save, but Spain were just going through the last half hour at their own pace.
Having replaced Olmo, Mikel Merino did not leave it long to make his impact known, curling a wonderful ball through to Torres, who could only poke the ball wide.
Granted, the gap between the two teams was large, but the way that Spain could shift between moving the ball slowly and with pace so effortlessly is something to enjoy. This had been much more like the Spain team that people were expecting to see at this World Cup.
Torres thought he’d found a fifth for Spain, but was judged by VAR to have been inches offside.
State of play heading into the final fixtures
It was a job well done for the 2010 World Champions, though, who responded from the 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in Atlanta by returning to the same stadium and putting up a performance to make others take note. Lamine Yamal only managed 45 minutes, but he had now arrived on the World Cup stage with his first goal.
Spain rose to the top of Group H, and would qualify if Cape Verde did not beat Uruguay in Miami later on Sunday (21st June); however, a win vs Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay in the final game would see them top the group.
Saudi Arabia had been beaten, but qualification for the knockout stages was still alive. If they could beat Cape Verde in their final game, then four points might be enough for them to sneak through as a third-placed side.
