Spain put their World Cup 2026 campaign firmly back on track with a dominant 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their Group H clash at Atlanta Stadium on Sunday.
After being frustrated in a goalless draw against debutants Cape Verde in their opening match, the 2010 world champions entered the game under pressure to respond. They did so in convincing fashion, delivering a fluent attacking performance that restored confidence in the squad and moved them closer to the knockout stages.
From the outset, Spain controlled possession and dictated the tempo, and it took just 10 minutes for them to break through. Mikel Oyarzabal delivered a low cross from the left, which teenage forward Lamine Yamal met perfectly at the far post to open the scoring.
Spain continued to pile on the pressure, and their dominance paid off again in the 21st minute. Saudi Arabia failed to deal with a corner, and Oyarzabal reacted quickest to stab home the loose ball for the second goal.
Barely three minutes later, Spain struck again. Dani Olmo’s header across goal caused further chaos in the Saudi box, allowing Oyarzabal to finish from close range and complete a ruthless spell that effectively settled the match before the half-hour mark.
The Real Sociedad forward came close to a first-half hat-trick, hitting the crossbar after a defensive error and later missing another chance as Spain went into the break 3-0 up.
Both sides made changes at halftime, but the flow of the game remained one-sided. Spain added a fourth goal just four minutes into the second half when Marc Cucurella’s volley from a corner was saved by the goalkeeper, only for the rebound to deflect off Hassan Tambakti and into the net.
With the result secure, Spain reduced their intensity and managed the remainder of the game comfortably. They thought they had added a fifth in stoppage time through Ferran Torres, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review.
The win restores momentum for Spain, who now look in strong position to advance to the last 32. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, face a difficult path if they are to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Spain will next face Uruguay in what could be a decisive Group H encounter, while Saudi Arabia meet Cape Verde in their final group match.
