Spain's European championship pedigree shone through in Atlanta on Wednesday night. They demolished Saudi Arabia 4-0 to revive their World Cup 2026 bid.
Lamine Yamal made his first competitive start in eight weeks after nursing a hamstring injury. The Barcelona teenager needed just ten minutes to break the deadlock.
Mikel Oyarzabal then took over the show. He scored twice in quick succession to stretch Spain's advantage to 3-0 before the half-hour mark.
Hassan Al-Tambakti's own goal capped off the demolition in the second period. Spain's dominance left no doubt about their superiority on the night.
Luis de la Fuente pulled Yamal off at the interval, continuing to monitor his recovery carefully. The coach told reporters afterwards: "We had to recover good feelings and correct a few things from the last game, but we need to keep improving if we want to achieve our target of reaching the final on July 19."
Spain now sits atop Group H pending Uruguay's clash with Cape Verde. Victory lifts them away from a disappointing opening performance.
Just four days prior, La Roja had drawn goalless with Cape Verde in a frustrating display. Despite controlling possession, they couldn't find the breakthrough.
Critics pounced on the result. Yamal's absence was glaring throughout that match.
De la Fuente made four changes to his starting lineup for the Saudi Arabia fixture. Yamal returned alongside Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo, and Alex Baena.
The adjustments paid immediate dividends. Spain's attacking rhythm improved markedly with the teenage winger back in the fold.
According to the coach, his players felt "stung" by the backlash following their Cape Verde result. They responded with one of their best performances yet in the tournament.
De la Fuente's squad showed why they're among the trophy favorites. This rout announced they're ready to compete for the title.
