After two matches, Spain had four points following their emphatic 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, while Uruguay, with two draws, had earned two points. This clash therefore promised to be decisive for qualification for the round of 16, with Spain aiming to consolidate their lead and Uruguay looking to revive their hopes.

In the first half, the tempo increased and Spain opened the scoring in the 42nd minute through Alex Baena. Notably, Uruguay made an important change just before the break, with Manuel Ugarte coming on in place of Nicolás de la Cruz. Spain also received a booking, with Baena shown a yellow card just after the restart.

The second half brought several substitutions on both sides, including the introductions of Federico Valverde and Juan Sanabria for Uruguay, and the arrivals of Pedri, Mikel Merino, Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal for Spain. Despite a few chances, Uruguay were unable to find a breakthrough, while Spain maintained their superiority in possession (71%) and control of the game.

Uruguay struggled in this match, playing in a 4-1-4-1 under Marcelo Bielsa, with key players such as Fernando Muslera, Rodrigo Bentancur and Darwin Núñez present from the kick-off. Spain, led by Luis de la Fuente in a 4-2-3-1, were able to rely on the defensive solidity of Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella, as well as the creativity of Pedri and the efficiency of Alex Baena.

Uruguay set up in a compact 4-1-4-1 but fail in attack

Marcelo Bielsa lined up a 4-1-4-1 formation with Fernando Muslera in goal, supported by a defence made up of Guillermo Varela, Sebastián Cáceres, Mathías Olivera and Juan Sanabria. The midfield featured Manuel Ugarte, Agustín Canobbio, Rodrigo Bentancur, Federico Valverde and Maximiliano Araújo. The attack was led by Darwin Núñez. Despite this solid organisation, Uruguay did not put a single shot on target and were subjected to Spain’s technical control. The late substitutions were unable to change the course of the match, particularly with Agustín Canobbio’s sending-off in added time, further complicating their finish to the game.

Spain reinforce their dominance with fluid collective play

Coach Luis de la Fuente opted for a classic 4-2-3-1, with Unai Simón in goal. The defence included Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella. The double pivot was handled by Pedri and Rodri. Ahead of them, Alex Baena, Mikel Merino and Lamine Yamal operated behind the lone striker, Mikel Oyarzabal. This setup allowed Spain to control possession (71%) and create several chances, one of which was converted by Baena. Substitutions such as those involving Pedri and Merino maintained a high level of control, preventing Uruguay from getting back into the match.