JAKARTA, JOURNALARTA.COM – Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Before halftime ended, Mikel Oyarzabal had already found the net twice. Saudi Arabia were thrashed 4-0 by Spain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, on Sunday (6/21/2026) at 11:00 p.m. WIB and are now stranded at the bottom of Group H in the 2026 World Cup with no points at all. This was not just a loss. It was a crisis.
Spain Took Control From the First Minute
There was no settling-in period. Spain pressed right from the opening whistle, building attacks through tight ball possession in a modernized tiki-taka style โ more vertical, more willing to switch quickly.
The 17-year-old Yamal scored the opener in the 10th minute and also became the second-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history. Oyarzabal then played like a penalty-box predator, scoring twice before halftime to make it 3-0 when the referee blew for the break.
The second half had barely started. Four minutes in, Hassan Al Tambakti got caught by a Spanish delivery that bounced off his body and into his own net. The own goal in the 49th minute sealed a 4-0 scoreline.
Saudi Arabia? Over 90 minutes, they managed just one shot on target, by Abdullah Al Hamdan in the closing stages when the match had long been over psychologically. Goalkeeper Mohammad Al-Owais worked hard to deny several more Spanish chances. Without him, the result could have been even more embarrassing.
Group H Standings: Saudi Arabia With No Points
After two matches, Saudi Arabia have yet to celebrate a goal. They have conceded four and scored none. Their place in the provisional standings can be seen in the table below.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 4 |
| 2 | Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Cape Verde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 1 |
Column key: P (Played) | W (Won) | D (Drawn) | L (Lost) | GF (Goals For) | GA (Goals Against) | GD (Goal Difference). Rankings are determined by points โ goal difference โ goals scored โ head-to-head result โ fair play points.
What Went Wrong for Saudi Arabia?
The problem was not just the score. Tactically, Saudi Arabia used a low block without discipline, often losing shape when Spain rotated the ball quickly in the final third. Yamal and Oyarzabal repeatedly found space between the back line and the Saudi holding midfielders.
Going forward, they offered almost nothing. Build-up play was too slow, and the transition into attack lacked sharpness. Once the ball finally reached the final third, the passing lanes were already closed. The result โ one shot on target in 90 minutes โ says enough.
Saudi Arabia’s coach faces a difficult dilemma. Attacking would open space for a more technical team. Sitting deep would make points nearly impossible.
One Match Left, and the Path Is Almost Impossible
Mathematically, Saudi Arabia are not out yet. But the road to the round of 16 is now extremely narrow.
Saudi Arabia must beat Cape Verde in their final match, and not by a narrow margin. They need a large enough goal difference to move ahead, while hoping Spain do not beat Uruguay by a big score in the parallel fixture. Cape Verde have not lost in the tournament so far, with two draws from two games, so they are not a side to underestimate.
Saudi Arabia vs Cape Verde is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 7:00 a.m. WIB in Houston.
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