There is little that could have jolted the Goliath-esque Spain more strongly than being kept at bay by Cape Verde’s veritable David. Coach Luis de la Fuente said as much before the World Cup favourites’ meeting with Saudi Arabia.
“The team is stung and sometimes criticism is motivating. The players do read things, they’re angry, and for sure tomorrow, the game will be very different.”
Six nights after failing to break through Cape Verde’s resistance at the same Atlanta Stadium, La Roja made amends in style. Lamine Yamal’s maiden World Cup start sparked a ruthless 4-0 hammering of their Asian opponents.
The Green Falcons, seeking to emulate the great Cape Verde escape, employed five men at the back in a departure from their usual 4-4-2 formation. But it was scant insurance against the artistry of an 18-year-old.
Yamal showed what Spain were missing in their opener from the outset, prancing around the Saudi defence threateningly in the very first minute.
Ten minutes of pressing in the Saudi half bore fruit after a delightful transition in midfield, as the ball found Mikel Oyarzabal on the left flank.
The frontman, who could only get his first touch after 30 minutes against Cape Verde, eyed a charging Yamal to his right and squared the ball across. The teen Barcelona sensation slid in smoothly and tapped it deftly through the narrow gap past custodian Mohammed Al-Owais. Just like that, the luminous new superstar had arrived on the biggest stage.
The creative incision that went missing against the Blue Sharks was on full display. Provider Oyarzabal soon turned finisher, netting twice in the space of three minutes.
First, Dani Olmo sent a corner to Aymeric Laporte, who was able to nod it onwards to Oyarzabal. The Real Sociedad captain did the rest, beating Al-Owais to his right.
Another cross cracked the Saudi defence open, and Olmo set Oyarzabal up to stab in his second. Spain were up 3-0 before the first hydration break, and looking good for many more.
Oyarzabal very nearly completed his hat-trick in the 36th with a masterful trivela that flicked the crossbar. That no more goals were scored by half-time was down to Spain’s minor follies rather than the Green Falcons’ resistance.