Yamal, Oyarzabal power Spain to historic World Cup win

After a disappointing first game, Spain finally unleashed their talent on attack. Record night for Yamal(1st WC goal) and Oyarzabal(2nd player with 3-goal contribution in the first 25 min) and the team(fastest 3-0 lead in 52 years).

After a frustrating opening match, Spain finally showcased their attacking quality. It was a record-setting night for Yamal (“1st WC goal”), Oyarzabal (“2nd player with 3-goal contribution in the first 25 min”), and Spain (“fastest 3-0 lead in 52 years”).

Match Report:

Teenage sensation Yamal found the net 10 minutes into his first World Cup start, helping Spain launch their tournament with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

The 18-year-old attacker arrived at the far post to convert a low delivery and open the scoring in Atlanta. The goal made him the eighth-youngest scorer in World Cup history and, more importantly, eased concerns within the Spanish camp after their unexpected 0-0 stalemate against Cape Verde in the opening fixture.

In a World Cup where Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane had already made strong starts, Yamal added his name to that list with his breakthrough strike.

The Barcelona star is already regarded as one of the best players in the game and played a key role in Spain’s 2024 European Championship triumph despite being only 16 when the tournament began. Many see him as the heir to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as football’s next global icon, although questions surrounded his condition heading into the World Cup after a hamstring injury ruled him out for the final part of the club season.

Having appeared only as a second-half substitute against Cape Verde, Yamal was handed a starting role versus Saudi Arabia and immediately made an impact.

Before scoring, he had already caused repeated problems for the Saudi backline with his direct attacking runs. He eventually capped off his bright display by finishing Mikel Oyarzabal’s cross.

The packed crowd at Atlanta Stadium was largely made up of Spanish supporters, who erupted when Yamal appeared for the pre-match warm-up. Their excitement grew even louder after his goal as he celebrated by sliding on his knees, praying, and kissing the grass.

It was precisely the response Spain manager Luis de la Fuente had hoped for from his young star after facing constant questions about when Yamal would be ready to start.

Those concerns had intensified following Spain’s scoreless draw with Cape Verde, especially given their status as one of the tournament favorites.

Spain had not progressed beyond the round of 16 since winning the World Cup in 2010 and had managed only three victories during that period.

Yamal’s opener triggered a devastating spell before halftime. Oyarzabal, who had been criticized for failing to register a touch during the opening 30 minutes against Cape Verde, not only assisted the first goal but also scored twice himself from close range in the 21st and 24th minutes.

Spain’s dominance was so overwhelming that De la Fuente withdrew both goalscorers at the break.

Just four minutes into the second half, Spain added a fourth when Marc Cucurella’s effort deflected off Hassan Altambakti and ended up in the net as an own goal.