Four days after a goalless draw with Cape Verde drew heavy criticism, Spain answered emphatically. La Roja thrashed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta to move top of World Cup Group H.
Four days after a goalless draw with Cape Verde drew heavy criticism, Spain answered emphatically. La Roja thrashed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta to move top of World Cup Group H.
Lamine Yamal set the tone on his first World Cup start, sliding in at the back post to finish Mikel Oyarzabal's low cross after 10 minutes. Oyarzabal then struck twice in three minutes, making it 3-0 before the first-half hydration break. Hassan Al-Tambakti turned a deflected Marc Cucurella effort into his own net in the 49th minute. A late fifth goal was ruled out after a VAR review.
Luis de la Fuente made four changes from the Cape Verde line-up, bringing in Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena and Yamal. Each switch paid off as Spain controlled possession and led the shot count 12-0 by the 25th minute.
The Spain coach used the win to push back at the scrutiny that followed the opening draw.
"I think it's crazy to question this team," he said. "We have been unbeaten for 33 consecutive games. You can have better days, worse days, normal days, but questioning, doubting this generation of very young footballers with a bright future, I think it's unfair."
He also defended Oyarzabal, who failed to touch the ball in the first half hour against Cape Verde. "People who know about football value him greatly," de la Fuente said. "The impact Mikel has on the team is massive, probably bigger than any other player could have in the world."
Yamal was withdrawn at the interval as he manages his return from a hamstring injury suffered in April. "It was the plan, to go out for half a part and be able to rest, but above all to help the team," the 18-year-old said.
Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis, in charge only since April, refused to criticise his players after watching his five-man defence dismantled.
"I'm proud of everything the players do every day, I am not going to lose my pride in the players after a poor result," he said. "We've already seen games at this World Cup that have ended in 6-0 or 5-1 scorelines."
Donis admitted the early goal hurt his side. "Spain scored early with excellent pace, and this affected our morale," he said. He rejected the idea his team had been scared, but conceded that conceding three quick goals left players feeling "insecure".
Oyarzabal became the second player to register three goal involvements in the opening 25 minutes of a World Cup match since records began in 1966, after Hungary's Laszlo Fazekas against El Salvador in 1982. Yamal, meanwhile, is the second-youngest player to open the scoring at a World Cup match, only behind Pelé in 1958.
Spain sit top of Group H on four points, with Saudi Arabia fourth with one point. La Roja close their group phase against Uruguay on Friday. Saudi Arabia face Cape Verde in Houston the same day, with a win likely to secure their first knockout berth since 1994.
