Spain needed a response after their shock draw with Cape Verde, and they have delivered just that.
Luis de la Fuente’s side go into half-time three goals to the good against Saudi Arabia at Atlanta Stadium, with a first-half performance of devastating quality that has left the Green Falcons shell-shocked and this Group H tie already looking very much over.
It took just ten minutes for Spain to draw first blood. Mikel Oyarzabal drove down the left and delivered a low inviting cross to the back post, where Lamine Yamal – restored to the starting line-up after being introduced from the bench against Cape Verde – slid in to steer home from close range for his first World Cup goal.
On 21 minutes, after a pinball sequence from a corner, Olmo flicked the ball towards the six-yard box and Aymeric Laporte nodded it into Oyarzabal’s path to bundle home.
Then, barely three minutes later, a Cucurella touch was nodded on by Dani Olmo and Oyarzabal was there again.
The Green Falcons have barely been able to get out of their own half, let alone threaten Unai Simon’s goal. Mohammed Al Owais in the Saudi net has been their best performer, making sharp stops to deny Oyarzabal and Yamal before those saves ultimately counted for nothing.
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