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The floodgates burst open and there was absolutely nothing Saudi Arabia could do to stem the tide as Spain delivered a performance of breathtaking ferocity and ruthless precision! Mikel Oyarzabal plundered a devastating brace and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal made an immediate, seismic impact on his return to the starting XI as Spain steamrolled Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. Having been held to a shocking 0-0 stalemate by tournament debutants Cabo Verde in their opener, La Roja came out with fire in their veins, pinning their opponents inside their own final third from the very first whistle. The contest was effectively over before the first hydration break. Oyarzabal crossed for Yamal to slide home the opener in the 10th minute, before the Real Sociedad forward capitalised on Saudi Arabia's inability to clear their lines under relentless pressure with two close-range finishes in the space of three minutes — the 21st and 24th — to put Spain three goals to the good. Oyarzabal twice came agonisingly close to a first-half hat-trick, clipping the top of the crossbar with an audacious effort following a poor clearance, before driving across the face of goal and narrowly wide. There was no respite after the interval, even with both goalscorers withdrawn at half-time, and the unfortunate Hassan Altambakti could only deflect into his own net after Mohammed Alowais' save from Marc Cucurella's volley in the 49th minute. The 4-0 scoreline was as comprehensive as it was merciless. Spain now know that a single point from their final fixture against Uruguay will guarantee progression to the Round of 32, while Saudi Arabia must somehow regroup before tackling Cabo Verde in a must-win showdown. Lamine Yamal, at 18 years and 343 days, etched his name into the record books as the eighth-youngest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, and the second youngest for Spain at the tournament — only Gavi's strike against Costa Rica in 2022 was scored at a younger age (18 years and 110 days). Oyarzabal deservedly claimed the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match award, declaring afterwards: "That was the plan, to play for a half and get some rest, but above all to help the team. The first game wasn't really us, but now we've arrived and we're going for more." Spain have arrived indeed — and the rest of the tournament has been put on notice.
