Uruguay eliminated from World Cup after loss to Spain

KATHMANDU: A first-half strike from Álex Baena guided Spain to a 1-0 victory over Uruguay, securing top spot in Group H and a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage.

The defeat brought Uruguay’s World Cup campaign to an end, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side eliminated in the group stage.

Spain finished the group with seven points and will face the Group J runners-up in the Round of 32 on July 2 in Los Angeles.

Uruguay endured a disappointing end to the tournament. Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was substituted at halftime after his costly error led to Spain’s winning goal, with Sergio Rochet replacing him for the second half.

The South Americans also finished the match with 10 men after Agustín Canobbio was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsí.

As expected, Spain dominated possession throughout the match and finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute. Marcos Llorente delivered a low cross from the left, which Álex Baena controlled before firing a shot that slipped through Muslera’s hands and into the net.

Uruguay pushed for an equaliser after the break but struggled to break down Spain’s disciplined passing game. Spain nearly doubled their advantage late in the match, but Ferran Torres saw his effort crash off the crossbar.

Deep into injury time, Canobbio was sent off after a dangerous tackle on Cubarsí, leaving Uruguay to finish the game with 10 players.

In the other Group H fixture, Cape Verde drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to finish second with three points and advance to the knockout stage. Saudi Arabia was eliminated.

The victory also marked Spain’s first-ever FIFA World Cup win over Uruguay.

Their previous two World Cup meetings had both ended in draws.