Spain seal World Cup Group H top spot, knock out Uruguay with 1-0 win

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 on June 26 to top Group H and reach the World Cup knockout phase, with Alex Baena’s first-half strike proving decisive as Marcelo Bielsa’s side exited the tournament.

Spain finished with seven points from two wins and a draw, while newcomers Cape Verde claimed the second knockout berth after three consecutive draws in a superb campaign so far. Uruguay bowed out with just two points, level with bottom-placed Saudi Arabia.

In three group-stage games, Spain scored five goals scored and conceded none, extending their unbeaten run to 34 matches and coach Luis de la Fuente called it a mark of pride for his squad.

“Today’s game really put us to the test,” he said. “We’ve played some very demanding matches, and the team always steps up. We played a different kind of game today, and the team stepped up again.

“We’re very happy because we’ve come through three very tough matches,” he added.

The 2010 World Cup winners struggled to breach Uruguay’s solid backline before Baena broke the deadlock just before half-time, firing a shot that goalkeeper Fernando Muslera fumbled into his own net.

The goal was scored with Uruguay’s Manuel Ugarte and Spain’s Lamine Yamal down injured as play continued, but Baena kept his focus and Spain took full advantage.

“It might be one of the goals that has made me happiest,” he said. “We knew it was going to be a tough match.

“They were fighting for their lives, and we were fighting for the top spot. We didn’t show our best form, but we competed very well,” he added.

Twice champions Uruguay replaced Muslera at half-time after his costly error. But despite piling on the pressure, they could not beat Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon, who denied Mathias Olivera and Nicolas de la Cruz, while Ferran Torres hit the crossbar at the other end.

Agustin Canobbio’s stoppage-time red card for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi summed up Uruguay’s frustrations, as Spain comfortably saw out the victory.

Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950, become the highest-ranked side to crash out in the group stage as the defeat rounded off a miserable tournament for Bielsa and his squad. They had also failed to reach the knockout phase at Qatar 2022.

After draws against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, reports of a revolt in the Uruguay camp emerged with leading players, including Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, clashing with Bielsa over his tactics.

The Argentinian coach controversially substituted Valverde on the hour mark and said the decision to replace Muslera at half-time had been taken by the player himself.

“Journalists and fans of Uruguayan football legitimately want to pin the blame on me. I’m the person responsible and I have to accept it,” said Bielsa.

Spain’s King Felipe VI was among those in attendance but the only clash between two former World Cup winners in the group stage was a huge disappointment.

Spain’s progress to the last 32 of the World Cup, however, came at a cost as Yeremy Pino’s tournament appears over, while Nico Williams suffered another muscle injury.

Crystal Palace’s Pino was forced to play out the final few minutes struggling with a shoulder injury, after de la Fuente had used his three windows to make substitutions.

Williams was only introduced 15 minutes from time after being nursed back into action after an injury-disrupted season at Athletic Bilbao.

But he ended the game with an issue that could be a body blow to La Roja’s hopes of World Cup glory.

The latest injuries leave the coach desperately short of options in wide areas.

Yamal is yet to play 90 minutes in over two months on his return from a hamstring injury and Liverpool’s new signing Victor Munoz has not featured at the World Cup after a setback in his return from a muscle problem.

“Nico was experiencing some slight discomfort. It could be a strain or just fatigue, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to know for sure,” said de la Fuente.

“However, and I am really sad about this, what really concerns me is Yeremy’s injury. It looks bad and there is a very strong possibility he will miss the rest of the tournament.”

The European champions will next face Austria or Algeria in Los Angeles.

De la Fuente conceded that his side must improve once the knockout stages get under way, but praised Spain’s discipline as Uruguay lost their heads in bowing out of the tournament.

“I am proud of my players in a match that pushed us to the limit in every sense of the word, physically very demanding and rough, that we stood up to be counted,” he added. REUTERS, AFP