Spain edged Uruguay 1-0 on a humid, stormy evening in Guadalajara, Mexico, with the only goal coming in the 42nd minute when Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera spilled Álex Baena’s shot into his own net. Marcelo Bielsa said Muslera asked to be substituted at halftime.
Bielsa had praised Spain’s style before the game, calling it ‘exquisite,’ but the Spanish performance lacked the fluency shown in their 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Atlanta and instead bore similarities to their 0-0 draw with Cape Verde, according to postgame comments from Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
Uruguay pressed from the start and forced an early error by putting Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón under immediate pressure. Spain controlled possession — holding 76 percent in the first quarter — but managed only two shots in that period and none on target, while Uruguay had none.
De la Fuente made two changes to his starting lineup, bringing Marcos Llorente in for Pedro Porro at right back and Mikel Merino in for Dani Olmo. The coach said neither change improved the side’s play: Llorente did not combine with Lamine Yamal as Porro had, and Olmo’s movement between the lines and ability to pick a final ball were missed.
The match grew ill-tempered after the break. Uruguay defender Juan Sanabria was booked for a tackle on Yamal, and Agustín Canobbio was sent off in added time for a reckless challenge on Spain’s Pau Cubarsí as both benches spilled onto the pitch, the report said.
Coming into the fixture as one of the most anticipated Group H games after the World Cup draw, the match carried wider implications: the winner stood to avoid Argentina in the round of 32, while Uruguay — having drawn with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde earlier — were fighting to stay in the tournament, with a defeat eliminating them and even a draw offering no guaranteed path forward.
