Alex Baena’s clinical finish three minutes before half-time gave Spain a deserved 1-0 win over Uruguay at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on Friday night.
The result moves Spain to seven points from three games in Group H. Uruguay are left with just two points and face a nervous wait to find out their fate in the knockout phase.
The Uruguay coach sat Darwin Núñez as the lone striker, flanked by Maximiliano Araújo and AgustÃn Canobbio, with Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur anchoring the midfield.
Marcos Llorente took the ball from the right and placed a precise cross to Baena, who calmly finished in the 42nd minute to fire Spain in front.
Juan Sanabria was booked in the 54th minute after a cynical foul. Guillermo Varela followed four minutes later, leaving Uruguay’s backline stretched and exposed for long periods.
Uruguay’s evening ended badly when AgustÃn Canobbio received a straight red card in stoppage time. The winger will now miss out on any potential play-offs if Uruguay progress.
Nicolás de la Cruz was also booked late in added time, compounding a miserable conclusion for Uruguay after a game that rarely threatened to change.
Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia still have a game to play. A poor result for either team could still open the door for Uruguay to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Spain faces the round of 16 with confidence. Their possession numbers, territorial dominance and controlled victory here suggest that Luis de la Fuente’s side are building real momentum in this tournament.
