Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia: Luis de la Fuente’s Lamine Yamal masterplan is ready for Uruguay

Spain moved to the apical of Group H with a commanding 4-0 triumph implicit Saudi Arabia successful Atlanta connected Sunday, and successful doing truthful answered the loudest question surrounding their World Cup run - conscionable however acceptable is Lamine Yamal and however important volition helium beryllium successful this tournament?

Luis de la Fuente’s broadside were ruthless successful the opening half, with Yamal breaking the deadlock wrong 10 minutes earlier Mikel Oyarzabal netted doubly successful the abstraction of 8 minutes to enactment La Roja firmly successful command. 

A Hassan Altambakti ain extremity aft the interruption completed the rout, and Spain, who had been held to a goalless gully by Cape Verde successful their opener, could not person asked for a much emphatic response.

Crucially, some Yamal and Oyarzabal were withdrawn astatine half-time with the crippled already won, inactive fresh, and with nary other strain placed connected recovering bodies. De la Fuente had spoken earlier kick-off astir managing his prima winger’s minutes cautiously pursuing a torn hamstring successful precocious April, and everything unfolded precisely arsenic helium would person hoped.

Here, Sports Mole assesses what Sunday’s show means for Spain’s handling of Yamal up of their Group H decider against Uruguay.

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: Lamine Yamal’s first-half masterclass

The program was ne'er a secret. Before kick-off successful Atlanta, De la Fuente had telegraphed it arsenic intelligibly arsenic immoderate manager can: Yamal would start, helium would play into the 2nd fractional lone if circumstances demanded it, and it turned out, circumstances could not person been much obliging.

Within 10 minutes, the Barcelona teen had already justified his inclusion successful the boldest imaginable terms, sliding successful astatine the backmost station to person Oyarzabal’s inviting transverse and people his first-ever World Cup goal. In doing so, Yamal became the archetypal subordinate aged 18 oregon younger to commencement a lucifer astatine some the European Championship and the World Cup.

He managed 20 minutes disconnected the seat successful the goalless gully with Cape Verde, capable to spark chances but not capable to settee Spain’s nerves. Against Saudi Arabia, handed his archetypal start, helium was electrical successful that opening half, progressive connected the close flank, ever demanding the ball, and yet getting his reward successful beforehand of goal.

Yet for De la Fuente, the value of the evening ran deeper than the extremity itself. This was impervious of conception - grounds that Yamal could commencement a World Cup game, power it decisively, and conscionable however important helium is to the squad going into the knockout stages.

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: De la Fuente’s minutes absorption gamble is paying off

The 3-0 pb Spain held astatine half-time gave De la Fuente the precise acquisition helium needed. With Oyarzabal having contributed a extremity and an assistance earlier adding a 2nd himself - becoming lone the 2nd subordinate to people doubly wrong the opening 25 minutes of a World Cup crippled - the occupation was efficaciously done. 

Both Yamal and Oyarzabal were withdrawn astatine the break, their managers having already seen enough.

It was a calculated enactment of conservation, not celebration. Yamal himself had said earlier the lucifer that a afloat 90 minutes was “unnecessary” astatine this signifier of his recovery, and De la Fuente echoed that measured outlook successful his pre-match comments, noting that the winger’s nonstop minutes would beryllium connected the game. The game, precise helpfully, did not necessitate immoderate much of him.

Spain stay unbeaten successful each 22 matches that Yamal has started for his state - 16 wins, six draws and the inducement to support that grounds intact, and to support the subordinate intact, is obvious. 

Hassan Altambakti's ain extremity that completed the scoring aft half-time was a bonus, but it was the system of the archetypal fractional that volition person pleased De la Fuente most.

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: What Luis de la Fuente present has for the Uruguay clash

The implications for Spain’s Group H decider against Uruguay connected June 27 successful Guadalajara are significant. With qualification astir secured and apical spot likely, De la Fuente faces the benignant of occupation managers imagination of: Yamal volition get astatine that fixture with invaluable further lucifer sharpness nether his belt, his minutes cautiously rationed, and his hamstring further tested and trusted.

Uruguay correspond a sterner and much tactically blase situation than Saudi Arabia, but Spain cognize a constituent from that last fixture volition beryllium capable to unafraid their transition to the Round of 32. 

De la Fuente present has the grounds that starting Yamal is safe, that fractional of shot is good wrong his gift, and that gathering him backmost to 70 oregon 80 minutes is simply a realistic people by the clip the knockout rounds arrive.

If Oyarzabal’s fittingness is handled with akin care, the Real Sociedad antheral is besides being managed cautiously La Roja could yet get astatine the circular of 32 with their 2 astir unsafe finishers adjacent to afloat fittingness and brimming with confidence.