Spain routs Saudi Arabia 4-0 as Yamal and Oyarzabal shine

Spain turned a shaky start into a statement in Atlanta, racing past Saudi Arabia 4-0 with an attack that looked sharper, faster and far more decisive than it had six days earlier. Lamine Yamal scored first, Mikel Oyarzabal added two more before the first hydration break, and Hassan Al Tambakti’s own goal completed the rout after halftime.

The result mattered because Spain had opened its World Cup with an unexpected 0-0 draw against Cabo Verde on June 15, a match that left La Roja needing an immediate response in Group H. At Atlanta Stadium, Spain produced one by controlling the game from the outset and putting it beyond reach long before Saudi Arabia could settle. FIFA noted that Spain was 3-0 ahead before the first pause for hydration, a sign of just how quickly the match tilted.

Yamal struck in the 10th minute, and at 18 years and 343 days he moved into rare company. The goal made him the eighth youngest scorer in World Cup history and the second youngest Spaniard ever to score in the competition, behind only Gavi, who was 18 years and 110 days old when he scored against Costa Rica in 2022. Oyarzabal then finished twice in quick succession, in the 21st and 24th minutes, turning Spain’s early possession into a lead Saudi Arabia never threatened to overturn. FIFA named Oyarzabal the match’s best player.

The second half brought no relief for Saudi Arabia. Hassan Al Tambakti’s own goal in the 49th minute pushed the margin to four, and by then Spain’s main work was done. The performance looked like a calibration point for Luis de la Fuente’s side after the uneven debut: the passing had more urgency, the finishing was clinical, and the front line attacked with a directness that was missing against Cabo Verde.

That said, the scoreline also said plenty about Saudi Arabia’s limitations. Mohammed Alowais and the back line were repeatedly exposed as Spain found space between the lines and converted early chances with little hesitation. Spain now needed only a point against Uruguay to seal a place in the round of 32, while Saudi Arabia had to regroup quickly for its next meeting with Cabo Verde.