Yamal opens World Cup account as Spain dismantle Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta

Lamine Yamal marked his first World Cup start with a goal inside 10 minutes as Spain produced a commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, moving to the top of Group H after their opening 0-0 draw with Cape Verde.

The 18-year-old Barcelona forward, who had entered that Cape Verde match as a late substitute after injury, needed little time to make his presence felt on his maiden start. Alex Baena’s pass released Mikel Oyarzabal, whose drilled cross was met by Yamal sliding in at the far post — his seventh international goal and the first of his World Cup career.

Oyarzabal was the game’s dominant figure in the opening half-hour, scoring twice in three minutes to put the contest beyond doubt before the half-hour mark. His first came on 21 minutes when Aymeric Laporte nodded the ball into his path following a miscued Dani Olmo shot, and Oyarzabal converted with the outside of his left foot. Three minutes later, Marc Cucurella kept alive Pedro Porro’s centre to the far post and Olmo headed across goal for Oyarzabal to finish at close range — a volley that took him to 27 goals in 55 Spain appearances.

Oyarzabal almost completed a hat-trick before the interval when Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais gifted him the ball on the edge of the area, but he lifted his effort onto the crossbar.

Luis de la Fuente withdrew both scorers at half-time with future fixtures in mind, yet Spain extended their lead within four minutes of the restart. Cucurella volleyed goalwards from a corner, Al-Owais parried onto Hassan Al Tambakti, and the ball trickled over the line for an own goal — the eighth of this World Cup.

Saudi Arabia had rarely threatened throughout, and Ferran Torres saw a stoppage-time effort ruled out for offside following a lengthy VAR review. De la Fuente had made four changes to his starting line-up from the Cape Verde draw, with Baena, Olmo, Porro and Yamal all coming in, and the alterations paid immediate dividends.

After the anxiety that followed their opening stalemate, Spain’s performance was a statement of intent from one of the tournament’s leading contenders.