Spain have Lamine Yamal back -- and they finally l...
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Spain dismantled Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta (Group H), dominating the opening 25 minutes with 66.6% possession, four big chances, and an xG of 2.85, a stark reversal from their sluggish 0-0 draw with Cape Verde.
- Lamine Yamal scored his first World Cup goal at 18 years and 343 days old — a few days younger than Messi was at his first World Cup tally — sliding in at the far post to finish Mikel Oyarzabal's cross on 10 minutes.
- Mikel Oyarzabal assisted Yamal's opener then scored twice in three minutes before halftime, and was named the game's MVP; the article notes he now has 15 goals in his last 15 Spain appearances plus six goals and four assists in qualifying.
- Luis de la Fuente made four lineup changes — bringing in Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Álex Baena — and benched Fabián Ruiz so Pedri could drop into a double pivot with Rodri, the position where Pedri thrives for Barcelona.
- Yamal was withdrawn at halftime along with Oyarzabal after their work was done, with De la Fuente saying he had to be 'restrained' in training such was his hunger to impress after recovering from a hamstring injury that limited him to 20 minutes vs. Cape Verde.
Why it matters: Spain's four-goal response re-establishes them as a tournament favorite after a listless opener, and the tactical shift — Pedri dropping deep alongside Rodri — gives them a midfield structure built around Yamal and Oyarzabal (15 goals in his last 15 internationals) that opposing defenses must now plan for in the knockout rounds.
Ask SkimNews
