Wounded Spain aim to silence doubters as they face Saudi Arabia in Atlanta, with Lamine Yamal’s fitness in focus.
LOS ANGELES: A wounded Spain will aim to get their World Cup challenge firmly back on track when they face Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said his players had been stung by the criticism after they were held to a goalless draw in their opening match by Cape Verde, the African archipelago of just over half a million people who are making their World Cup debut.
The European champions arrived in North America as one of the favourites, but with Lamine Yamal only able to appear as a second-half substitute on his return from injury, La Roja were unable to find the target against Cape Verde.
De la Fuente, who confidently described his squad as the best in the world before the tournament, said they would show their true colors on Sunday.
“This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up… It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Saturday.
“There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”
Speculation about Yamal’s fitness has dominated Spain’s camp. The 18-year-old winger is still not ready to complete a full game, but De la Fuente is under pressure to play him from the start.
“The most important thing is that he’s back,” he said.
Saudi Arabia also drew their opening game, 1-1 with Uruguay.
Mum in the stands
Cape Verde, the team that frustrated Spain, will play “without fear” when they face Uruguay in Miami on Sunday, coach Pedro Leitao Brito, known as “Bubista”, said.
“We didn’t come just to take part. We want to play all the matches and to be able to show that we have the level to take on the best teams in the world,” he added
“Our aim is to play all the games with courage, in an organised way but also without fear.”
Vozinha, the 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper who held Spain at bay with a remarkable performance, will be watched by his mother on Sunday after she arrived in Miami on a US visa.
Ana Candida Evora travelled from Cape Verde’s capital Praia after her son tearfully told reporters she had not been granted a visa in time for the first game, but the US State Department has now provided her with the necessary document.
Meanwhile, Belgium will again be without Jeremy Doku with respiratory problems as they face Iran.
Without the winger, Belgium sputtered to a draw in their opener against Egypt.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said he has been told US travel restrictions on his team will finally be eased for their third group game, against Egypt in Seattle on June 26, but he claimed the treatment they have received so far had adversely affected their on-field performance.
Despite that, Iran remain in contention after drawing 2-2 with New Zealand in their first game.
In the other game in the group on Sunday, Egypt play New Zealand in Vancouver.
On Saturday, Germany booked their place in the knockout rounds with a dramatic injury-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.
Substitute Deniz Undav scored a 68th-minute equalizer before slotting the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time to settle an enthralling contest in Toronto.
It is the first time since 2014 that Germany have reached the last 32.
“This is exactly what we hoped for and I’m very happy for my team,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
Germany’s victory was made even sweeter later on Saturday as Curacao — the smallest country by population ever to qualify for the World Cup with just 160,000 inhabitants — dug deep to secure a shock 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Kansas City that ensured the Germans will win Group E with a game to spare.
Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room was their hero, keeping out a record 15 shots — the most saves in a game that did not involve extra time — as the underdogs secured their first ever World Cup point.
In Houston, the Netherlands stayed firmly on course for qualification with a 5-1 demolition of Sweden in Group F.
Japan are now level on four points with the Dutch after cruising to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico in Saturday’s late match — the 1,000th game in World Cup history.
