Spain enter World Cup hunt with convincing win over Saudi Arabia
Oyarzabal scored a brace as Spain crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0 inn their second Group H match.
Oyarzabal scored a brace as Spain crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0 inn their second Group H match.
Oyarzabal scored a brace as Spain crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0 inn their second Group H match.
After a frustrating goalless draw with minnows Cape Verde in their World Cup-opening encounter, Spain secured a result worthy of their tag as tournament favourites.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in their second match in Group H. Young superstar Lamine Yamal got Spain up and running with a 10th-minute strike from an Oyarzabal cross.
By minute 24, Spain led 3-0 as Oyarzabal scored a brace in the space of three minutes. An own goal from Hassan Altambakti early in the second half completed the scoreline. Ferran Torres had a fifth in the back of the net, but it was rightly overturned for offside after a lengthy VAR review.
For Luis de la Fuente, a win of this nature was necessary to place his side in a commanding position in Group H, which also comprises South American powerhouses, Uruguay.
Spain will take on Uruguay in their final group game on June 27. The European heavyweights would certainly want to finish as group winners and avoid bumping into other strong sides early in the tournament.
Spain won their only World Cup title in 2010, but the last three editions haven't been that memorable, with a group-stage exit followed by consecutive knockouts in the round of 16.