Spain edge 10-man Uruguay 1-0 to secure place in next round of World Cup

Spain edged Uruguay 1-0 to secure their place in the next round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in their final Group H match at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico.

After a slow start for both sides, Spain’s Alex Baena took a cross from the right wing, finding space in front of two defenders and swung a shot that Muslera could not control, the ball trickling into net to give Spain the lead in the 42nd minute.

Getting more desperate by the minute, Uruguay made push after push to save their tournament run, but never truly came up with a convincing opportunity.

Spain came close to doubling the lead with Ferran Torres, but his shot smacked the crossbar in the 86th minute to keep them on edge and keep Uruguay in the fight.

Uruguay’s fate was seemingly sealed when a red card for Agustin Canobbio in the 90+4th minute left them with 10 men on the pitch. A late push yielded no results, and Uruguay conceded defeat.

Spain finished Group H in first place, securing their place in the next round, while Uruguay finished third with only 2 points, exiting the tournament as they did not qualify.

As things stand, Spain is set to play Austria in the Round of 32.