Spain vs Uruguay FIFA World Cup the result of the match: Álex Baena is established as Spain book Round of 32 spot, Uruguay out | Football news
Spain booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 as Group H winners after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Uruguay at the Guadalajara Stadium, with Álex Baena scoring the only goal of the game. The reigning European champions were far from their flowing best but capitalized on a costly first-half error before producing another disciplined defensive display to finish top of the group with seven points.For Uruguay, it was a frustrating end to a tournament that never really gathered momentum. Marcelo Bielsa’s team came in need of a win to guarantee progress after opening the competition with successive draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, but another wasteful attacking display condemned La Celeste to elimination with just two points from three games.
Baena’s decisive strike punished Muslera’s costly strike before the break
Spain went into the evening knowing a draw would be enough to secure top spot, while Uruguay faced a virtual setback after failing to win one of their opening games. As expected, Luis de la Fuente’s side monopolized possession from the opening whistle, finishing the night with 68 percent of the ball and completing passes with an impressive 91 percent accuracy, although Uruguay’s compact defensive shape prevented them from creating many clear-cut opportunities.The breakthrough, and finally the only goal of the match, came in the 42nd minute after sustained Spanish pressure on the right flank. Marcos Llorente delivered what appeared to be a routine cross into the penalty area, but the bouncing ball completely fooled veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Instead of gathering comfortably, the Uruguay captain allowed it to slip into his grasp, with Álex Baena reacting quicker to steer the ball into the net and give Spain a 1-0 lead. It proved to be the decisive moment of the contest and a mistake Muslera never recovered from, as Bielsa replaced his captain with Sergio Rochet during the interval.Moments later, Uruguay suffered another significant setback when anchor midfielder Manuel Ugarte was stretchered off in the 44th minute after picking up an injury, upsetting the balance of a team that was already struggling to gain control in midfield.
Spain control the game as Uruguay struggle to break through
Although Spain enjoyed territorial dominance throughout the evening, Uruguay actually finished with one more shot than their opponents, attempting six efforts to Spain’s five, while forcing Unai Simón into two saves compared to Rochet’s one stoppage.Lamine Yamal once again provided Spain’s main creative spark from the right wing despite constant attention from Uruguay’s defenders. The teenager repeatedly drove inside looking to unlock the defense and produced one of the best moments of the game in the 65th minute, slotting past his marker before slotting home perfectly for Dani Olmo. The midfielder leaned back under pressure, though, and lifted his finish over the bar from an excellent position.Uruguay’s aggressive approach to containing Yamal eventually resulted in Juan Manuel Sanabria receiving a yellow card in the 53rd minute after bringing down the Barcelona youngster. With Spain managing the result and the teenager’s workload ahead of the knockout rounds, Yamal made way for Nico Williams in the 76th minute.Bielsa’s tactical plan revolved around Federico Valverde providing Darwin Núñez as quickly as possible, but the Spanish midfield denied both players the space they needed. Núñez spent most of the evening dropping deep or drifting into wide positions in search of possession, leaving him with only a speculative long-range effort in the 39th minute that sailed comfortably wide. Valverde became increasingly isolated before being substituted in the 56th minute for Federico Viñas, walking towards the bench with his shirt pulled over his face in visible frustration.
Uruguay threaten late on but Spain hold firm
Despite finding little rhythm in possession, Uruguay produced the best chances after falling behind. In first-half stoppage time, Ronald Araújo put a loose ball into the box after a seven-piece scramble, but Unai Simón produced an outstanding full-length save to preserve Spain’s lead.Uruguay continued to push after the interval, creating dangerous overloads in wide areas, but the final ball still eluded them. Nicolás de la Cruz tested Simón from distance late in the game, with the Spanish keeper initially spilling the effort before gathering safely at the second attempt.The contest became increasingly physical as both teams committed 14 fouls each. Uruguay collected three yellow cards through Sanabria, Federico Varela and De la Cruz, while Spain’s only booking went to goalscorer Baena.The tension reached its peak in the 90th minute when Dani Olmo and Federico Viñas collided in the Spanish penalty area, prompting furious penalty appeals from the Uruguayan players. The referee rejected the claims, and De la Cruz entered the book for his protests. Uruguay’s night deteriorated further in stoppage time when Agustín Canobbio was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge, bringing a chaotic end to their World Cup campaign.
Spain finish on top as Uruguay retreat
Spain finished the group stage unbeaten after opening with a draw against Cape Verde before wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay secured seven points and top spot in Group H.The final standings saw Spain finish as group winners with seven points, followed by Cape Verde with three points, who moved into second place. Uruguay’s two-point haul left them third and eliminated, while Saudi Arabia also exited the tournament with two points after finishing bottom on goal difference.For Spain, attention now turns to the Round of 32 which brings confidence built on another organized defensive display and only a handful of chances conceded in the group stage. For Uruguay, the campaign ended in disappointment, with Bielsa’s talented side unable to translate possession and attacking intent into the victories needed to reach the knockout rounds.
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