Spain edged past Uruguay 1-0 in Guadalajara to secure top spot in Group H, while Marcelo Bielsa’s side were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after a frustrating evening that ended in controversy.
Alex Baena’s first-half strike proved the difference, and with Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia drawing 0-0 in the group’s other match, Uruguay’s defeat sent them crashing out at the first hurdle.
Spain take control as Baena strikes before break
Spain started brightly and almost found an early breakthrough when Lamine Yamal capitalised on a misplaced pass before feeding Mikel Oyarzabal, whose effort was diverted behind.
Luis de la Fuente’s side dominated possession during the opening stages, pinning Uruguay deep inside their own half and forcing the South Americans to spend long periods chasing the ball.
Uruguay’s best moments came from set pieces and pressing high up the pitch. Ronald Araujo’s free-kick caused uncertainty for Unai Simon, while Agustin Canobbio saw an effort blocked after the Spain goalkeeper failed to deal cleanly with a delivery into the area.
However, Spain’s pressure finally told three minutes before half-time. After Uruguay failed to clear their lines inside the penalty area, Marcos Llorente drove a low ball into the box and Baena reacted quickest, turning sharply before firing goalwards. The shot slipped through Fernando Muslera and into the net, handing Spain a crucial 1-0 lead.
The goal was another costly mistake from the veteran goalkeeper, who became the first goalkeeper since 1966 to commit three errors leading directly to goals in a single World Cup tournament.
Uruguay’s problems worsened before the interval when Manuel Ugarte was forced off injured on a stretcher, with Nicolas de la Cruz replacing him.
Uruguay struggle to respond
Needing at least a draw to keep their hopes alive, Uruguay emerged for the second half with greater urgency, but clear opportunities remained scarce.
Marcelo Bielsa made several attacking changes, including the introduction of Federico Vinas and Brian Rodriguez, but Spain continued to look comfortable. Dani Olmo should have doubled the lead after brilliant work from Yamal created a golden opportunity, only for the substitute to blaze over from inside the area.
Uruguay’s frustrations began to show as the game became increasingly physical. Juan Sanabria and Guillermo Varela were both booked for reckless challenges, while Spain also collected cautions.
The closest Uruguay came to an equaliser arrived in the final quarter of the match. De la Cruz injected life into the attack and produced a superb pass that released Darwin Nunez, but Simon raced from his line to smother the danger before the striker could round him.
Mathias Olivera then forced the Spain goalkeeper into action with a mishit cross-shot that almost caught him out at the near post, before De la Cruz tested Simon with a powerful effort that was beaten away.
Red card caps miserable Uruguay exit
As the clock ticked into the closing stages, Uruguay threw bodies forward in search of the goal that could have kept their tournament alive. However, Spain defended resolutely and continued to threaten on the counter-attack, with Ferran Torres striking the crossbar after excellent build-up play.
With news filtering through that Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia had finished 0-0, Uruguay knew a late equaliser would have been enough to send them through. It never arrived.
Instead, the evening ended in ugly fashion during stoppage time. After Nicolas de la Cruz was booked for a cynical foul, tensions escalated and Canobbio completely lost his composure.
The winger launched into a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi with his studs showing and was immediately shown a straight red card. He then confronted referee Ismail Elfath, grabbing at the official’s shirt in scenes that summed up Uruguay’s frustration.
