06/21/26 11:45:00
Printable Page
06/21 11:44 CDT Spain star Lamine Yamal scores after 10 minutes of his first
start at the World Cup
Spain star Lamine Yamal scores after 10 minutes of his first start at the World
Cup
By JAMES ROBSON
AP Soccer Writer
ATLANTA (AP) --- Lamine Yamal needed just 10 minutes of his first start at a
World Cup to get his first goal on soccer's biggest stage.
The 18-year-old forward slid in at the far post to put Spain 1-0 up against
Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday.
Yamal missed the end of Barcelona's season with a hamstring injury and was used
as a second-half substitute when Spain was held to a surprise 0-0 draw with
Cape Verde in its opening match.
The question of whether Yamal would start the next game was the biggest talking
point ahead of the Saudi Arabia match and coach Luis de la Fuente gave Spain
fans what they wanted. That move quickly paid off with Yamal's early strike.
The teenager is already considered one the world's top players and helped Spain
win the European Championship in 2024 despite being just 16 years old when the
tournament started.
He is tipped to take over from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the
sport's biggest star.
On Sunday, Yamal raced away in celebration before dropping to his knees,
praying and kissing the turf at Atlanta Stadium.
His goal was the first of a flurry of first-half goals from Spain, one of the
pre-tournament favorites.
Mikel Oyarzabal, who was criticized for not touching the ball at all in the
first 30 minutes of Spain's draw with Cape Verde, not only provided the assist
for Yamal, but scored two more goals --- in the 21st and 24th.
___
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
___
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
|
