Spain achieved its first victory in the 2026 World Cup by defeating Saudi Arabia 4-0 at the Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), in a match corresponding to the second day of Group H.
The goals came from the first minutes of the match. In the 10th minute, Lamine Yamal opened the scoring with his first goal in a World Cup after a precise cross from Mikel Oyarzabal. At minute 21, Oyarzabal extended the lead and, three minutes later, completed his double after a well-crafted collective play.
Already in the second half, at minute 49, Hassan Altambakti scored an own goal to seal the final 4-0. The action originated from a shot by Marc Cucurella that was deflected by the Saudi defender before entering the goal.
Spain showed a more fluid and vertical version than in the goalless draw against Cape Verde. He controlled the match clearly, especially in midfield, where Pedri and Rodri set the pace of the match.
According to Opta data, the Spanish team dominated with more than 72% possession, generated 18 shots – nine of them on goal – and maintained a passing accuracy of over 90%. Furthermore, the recoveries in the rival half allowed quick transitions that dismantled the Saudi defense.
Saudi Arabia, led by Georgios Donis, maintained defensive order during the first minutes, but barely generated three shots in the entire match and never managed to disturb the goal defended by Unai Simón.
Mikel Oyarzabal was the star of the match with two goals and an assist, which allowed him to vindicate himself after his discreet performance in his debut. Lamine Yamal, 18, added imbalance and celebrated his first World Cup goal. The combination of youth and experience of players like Pedri, Rodri and Oyarzabal gave strength to the team led by Luis de la Fuente.
With this victory, Spain has four points and is in first place in Group H. Saudi Arabia remains with one unit and will have to add points on the last day to maintain its qualification options.
The Spanish team showed an evident improvement in definition and pace of play, two aspects that the coach himself had pointed out after the first match. The result allows him to assume the leadership of the group and face the third date with greater peace of mind.