Spain secure playoff spot with dominant win over Saudi Arabia

The Spain national team celebrated its first victory at the 2026 World Cup. In the second round of the group stage against Saudi Arabia, the reigning European champions demonstrated their true strength, scoring four unanswered goals. This victory virtually guarantees the "La Roja" a place in the next stage. According to Goal.com, reports .

After a goalless draw with Cape Verde in the first round, the Spaniards started this match very aggressively. Luis de la Fuente's pupils took control from the opening minutes and managed to score quickly. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring with a precise shot into the far corner following an assist from Mikel Oyarzabal.

Mikel Oyarzabal's benefit

After facing criticism for his performance in the first game, Mikel Oyarzabal managed to prove himself in this match. The Real Sociedad forward effectively decided the game's fate by scoring a brace within just three minutes in the middle of the first half. In both instances, he acted with composure from close range. He could have even scored a hat-trick, but his curling effort hit the crossbar.

Spain did not ease the pressure at the start of the second half. Although the goalkeeper saved a powerful strike from Marc Cucurella, the ball deflected off Saudi Arabian defender Hassan Al Tambakti and found the net. As reported by Goal.com, this own goal was a heavy psychological blow for the Asians, and the rest of the match remained under control.

Once the score became dominant, the Spanish coaching staff decided to rest key players Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal. Substitutes Ferran Torres and Pedro Porro also had scoring opportunities, but their attempts were unsuccessful. Specifically, a goal scored by Ferran Torres in stoppage time was overturned by VAR for offside.

It was a quiet game for the Spanish goalkeeper. The Saudi Arabian attackers managed only one shot on target throughout the match, while the defenders neutralized all other threats. Spain now leads Group H with 4 points after two rounds.

This victory once again confirms Spain's championship ambitions. After the unexpected draw in the first round, the team's confident comeback is raising great hopes among fans. The Spaniards will now take the field in the final group match to determine their playoff opponents.