Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 to clinch World Cup Group H top spot
Spain wins World Cup group, beating Uruguay 1-0 as Fernando Muslera’s error sends two-time champions home.
Uruguay bowed out of the World Cup as goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s howler gifted Spain a 1-0 win in Guadalajara to secure top spot in Group H.Alex Baena’s weak shot slipped through Muslera’s grasp for the only goal as Spain avoided a last 32 showdown against Argentina.The European champions will instead face Austria or Algeria next in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Uruguay’s defeat allowed debutants Cape Verde to secure second place and a meeting with Lionel Messi and the defending champions, thanks to a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia.Two-time winners Uruguay become the highest-ranked side to crash out in the group stages as the defeat rounded off a miserable tournament for Marcelo Bielsa and his squad.After draws against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, reports of a revolt in the Uruguay camp emerged, with leading players, including Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, clashing with Bielsa over his tactics.
Spain’s King Felipe was among those in attendance, but the only clash between two former winners of the World Cup in the group stages was a huge disappointment.Lamine Yamal in the starting lineup had sparked the Spanish attack into life in a 4-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia after La Roja began in underwhelming fashion with a goalless draw against Cape Verde.But another laboured attacking performance leaves Luis de la Fuente with plenty to ponder before the knockout stages begin on Sunday.
A hero of Uruguay’s run to the semifinals in 2010, Muslera was at fault for both Cape Verde’s goals in a 2-2 draw.And in Guadalajara, Spain had barely threatened the Uruguay goal before the 40-year-old allowed Baena’s shot to dribble over the line from Marcos Llorente’s cross on 42 minutes.To rub salt into Uruguayan wounds, Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte was injured in the buildup to the goal and stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
Bielsa replaced Muslera at half-time with Sergio Rochet, and the Uruguay boss made an even bolder call when Valverde was taken of
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