The match was effectively over by halftime. La Roja came out flying with a suffocating high press and smooth, attacking football. Mikel Oyarzabal led the charge with a fantastic first-half brace, while teenage superstar Lamine Yamal dazzled the crowd and scored his first-ever World Cup goal. Combined with an unfortunate Saudi own goal, Spain walked into the locker room with an untouchable 4-0 lead.
In the second half, manager Luis de la Fuente took his foot off the gas, choosing to rest crucial players like Pedri and Dani Olmo. This finally gave Saudi Arabia some breathing room. The Green Falcons showed great heart and enjoyed much more of the ball, but they could not find a way past Spain’s rock-solid defense. Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón had a very quiet night, easily saving the single shot on target he faced.
There was a moment of late drama in stoppage time when substitute Ferran Torres tapped into an open net, but a VAR review ruled him marginally offside.
Ultimately, Spain’s absolute dominance was clear in the numbers, racking up 20 shots to Saudi Arabia’s three. It was a flawless opening masterclass that sends a powerful warning to the rest of the tournament as Spain turn their focus to a heavyweight clash against Uruguay.
