The Spanish national team came close to advancing directly to the 2026 World Cup thanks to a comfortable thrashing of Georgia in Tbilisi (0-4). Without Lamine Yamal, who was once again called off due to his pubic problems, Luis de la Fuente's team resolved the match with three goals before halftime.
**Mikel Oyarzabal**, from the penalty spot, opened the scoring in the 11th minute, after a handball inside the box caused by **Ferran Torres**. The 'Shark' tried to control a cross from Baena at the far post, but a deflection off the arm of the defender guarding him prevented a very dangerous play in the Georgian area from continuing.
After the VAR call, referee Benoit Bastien blew for a penalty, and Oyarzabal fooled Mamardashvili with an impeccable shot to make it 0-1. Since then, there was only one team on the field at the Boris Paichadze Stadium.
Zubimendi and Ferran settled the match before halftime
In the 22nd minute, Spain extended their lead thanks to a remarkable finish from Martín Zubimendi. The Arsenal midfielder appeared as a '9' to receive a through ball from Fabián Ruiz and finished by chipping the ball over the desperate lunge of Mamardashvili.
Four minutes earlier, Álex Baena had hit the post with a cross shot, after a good play orchestrated with Mikel Merino. La Roja's thrashing of Georgia was unappealable and, in the 35th minute, the third goal came from Ferran.
The Barça forward scored at will, taking advantage of a pass to the middle from Oyarzabal, after a one-two between the Real Sociedad player and Baena. The goal was the 'Shark's' 23rd with the National Team, thus placing him in the TOP-10 of historical goalscorers, equaling Alfredo Di Stefano and Sergio Ramos.
Oyarzabal sealed a rout that puts Spain on the verge of the World Cup
After the break, Luis de la Fuente replaced Pedro Porro (booked) with Marcos Llorente. Spain slowed down a bit in the initial quarter of an hour of the second half, but Mikel Oyarzabal, in the 63rd minute, reappeared to put the final touches on the match.
The Basque attacker took advantage of a cross from Ferran Torres from the wing to head the ball, leaving the Georgian goalkeeper with no options once again. Just before the fourth goal, Fermín López came on for Merino. Pau Cubarsí started, while Dani Olmo remained on the bench.
This result, added to Turkey's victory against Bulgaria (2-0), leaves Spain almost qualified (though not mathematically) for the World Cup. La Roja has 15 points and an impeccable goal difference of +19 (with no goals against them).
The Ottomans have 12 points and a +5 goal difference, so they would need a brutal thrashing on Tuesday at La Cartuja (8:45 PM CEST) to take the lead. On matchday 2, the National Team crushed the Turks away from home (0-6).