Yamal-less Spain Thrash Georgia to Move Within Touching Distance of World Cup Spot

La Roja would need to lose to Turkey by a seven-goal margin in Seville to be denied an automatic World Cup spot

Spain moved to the brink of World Cup qualification after thrashing Georgia 4-0 in Tbilisi on Saturday. The win extended the Iberian nation’s perfect record in Group E and maintained a run of clean sheets in all of their qualifying games.

Luis de la Fuente’s side are three points clear of second-placed Turkey with only one game now left to play. They also lead Turkey by a goal of difference 14, meaning that Turkey would need to beat Spain by seven goals or more in Seville on Tuesday in order to rob them of the automatic qualifying spot at the top of the group.

In the absence of Lamine Yamal and Pedri, both of whom have niggling fitness issues, Spain controlled the match from start to finish and were ahead within just 11 minutes.

Real Sociedad playmaker Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring when he converted from the spot after Giorgi Gocholeishvili was penalised for handball.

Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi and Barcelona’s Ferran Torres then scored within 12 minutes of each other to conclude the tie in the first period. In the second half Oyarazabal bookended the scoring when he headed in Torres’s cross just after the hour.

After the match, De la Fuente said: “Out of respect for our opponents we have to keep our feet on the ground and maintain this attitude until it’s mathematically secured.

“The perfect record is a great reason to be proud of these players. I’m lucky to coach players of this calibre, players of this historic stature, and there’s still a long way to go.”