Spain booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 as Group H winners after a 1-0 win against Uruguay at the Guadalajara Stadium, Álex Baena scoring the only goal of the game. The reigning Europeans were far from their best but capitalized on some costly mistakes in the first half before producing another defensive display to finish top of the group with seven points.For Uruguay, it was a disappointing end to an unprecedented tournament. Marcelo Bielsa’s side arrived needing a win to secure progression after opening the tournament with consecutive draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, but another devastating display condemned La Celeste to relegation with just two points from three games.
Baena’s last drop punished Muslera’s big mistake before the break
Spain went into the evening knowing that a draw would be enough to clinch first place, while Uruguay faced a knock-out game after failing to win in their opening game. As expected, Luis de la Fuente’s team dominated the opening whistle, finishing the night with 68 percent of the ball and 91 percent accuracy, although Uruguay’s strong defense prevented them from creating many clear chances.The winner, and ultimately the only goal of the match, came in the 42nd minute following a Spanish presser down the right flank. Marcos Llorente delivered what looked like a routine cross into the penalty area, but the diving ball tricked veteran Fernando Muslera. Instead, the Uruguayan skipper let it slip through his hands, with Álex Baena reacting quickly to head the ball into the net to give Spain a 1-0 lead. It turned out to be the defining moment of the tournament and a mistake that Muslera never recovered from, with Bielsa replacing his captain Sergio Rochet in the process.Moments later, Uruguay suffered another setback when central midfielder Manuel Ugarte was forced off in the 44th minute with an injury, which disrupted the already struggling midfield.
Spain dominated the game while Uruguay struggled to break through
Although Spain dominated the area throughout the night, Uruguay finished with one more shot than their opponents, scoring nine of Spain’s attempts, and forcing Unai Simón to save two compared to Rochet’s one.Lamine Yamal also provided great interest for Spain from the right wing despite Uruguay’s defenders being under constant scrutiny. The young striker repeatedly got in to open up defenses and produced one of the best moments of the game in the 65th minute, leaping with his marker before beating Dani Olmo well. The midfielder leaned back under pressure, however, and lifted his finish onto the cross from a superb position.Uruguay’s ruthless approach with Yamal eventually led to Juan Manuel Sanabria receiving a yellow card in the 53rd minute after bringing down the Barcelona youngster. Spain is improving the results and the work of the young forward in the knock-out game, Yamal set up Nico Williams in the 76th minute.Bielsa’s technical plan revolved around Federico Valverde providing Darwin Núñez as quickly as possible, but the Spaniard denied both players the space they needed. Núñez spent most of the night dropping too low or wobbled in many places looking to stay, which left him with a long-range effort in the 39th minute that went wide. Valverde was alone before replacing Federico Viñas in the 56th minute, walking to the bench with his shirt pulled over his face in frustration.
Uruguay threatened late on but Spain held firm
Although they didn’t get a lot of goals, Uruguay created the better chances after a while. At the start of the first half, Ronald Araújo was met with a loose ball in the area after a collision, but Unai Simón made a great save to protect Spain’s advantage.Uruguay continued to push after half-time, creating a frenzy in many areas, but the final ball let them down. Nicolás de la Cruz tested Simón from the farthest corner of the game, with the Spanish goalkeeper only to miss his effort before safely meeting the second attempt.The contest was intense with both teams committing 14 fouls each. Uruguay received three yellow cards through Sanabria, Federico Varela and De la Cruz, while Spain booked the only one for goalscorer Baena.The tension came to a head in the 90th minute when Dani Olmo and Federico Viñas collided inside Spain’s penalty area, prompting the Uruguayans to call for an angry penalty. The judge dismissed the claims, and De la Cruz went on the record for his protests. Uruguay’s night took a turn for the worse when Agustín Canobbio received a straight red card for reckless conduct, ending their World Cup campaign in chaos.
Spain finished top while Uruguay lost
Spain finished the group stage unbeaten after opening with Cape Verde before defeating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay secured seven points and first place in Group H.The final standings saw Spain finish as winners on seven points, followed by Cape Verde on three points, who moved up to second place. Uruguay’s two points have left them in third place and elimination, while Saudi Arabia are also out with two points after finishing on goal difference.In Spain, attention has now turned to the Round of 32 with confidence firmly in place in the defense and few chances to be found in the squad. In Uruguay, the campaign ends in disappointment, Bielsa’s talented team unable to translate and attack to win what they need to.
