Spain beat Georgia 4-0, closing in on a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

Spain thrashed Georgia 4-0 in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers early this morning, with a brace from Oyarzabal (11th minute penalty, 63rd minute) and goals from Zubimendi (22nd minute) and Ferran Torres (35th minute). The victory brings La Roja closer to qualification: they only need a draw against Türkiye in the final match to officially secure their place in the 2026 World Cup. Georgia's dream is officially over.

Match developments: VAR unlocks, La Roja imposes early.

In the 7th minute, Ferran Torres warned Georgia's goal with a shot that was blocked by a defender. Shortly after, VAR confirmed the ball had struck Gocholeishvili's hand in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty which Oyarzabal calmly converted in the 11th minute.

The game quickly became one-sided. In the 18th minute, Baena's shot hit the post. The relentless pressure materialized in the 22nd minute: Fabian Ruiz played a delicate through pass to Zubimendi, who broke free and finished skillfully to make it 2-0.

La Roja didn't slow down. Oyarzabal made a wide run and then crossed the ball to Ferran Torres, who tapped it in from close range to make it 3-0 in the 35th minute. Towards the end of the first half, in the second minute of added time, Pedro Porro set up Oyarzabal for a shot, but goalkeeper Mamardashvili made an excellent save.

Second half: the decisive header and some crucial saves.

Georgia fought back after the break. In the 60th minute, Mekvabishvili unleashed a powerful long-range shot, but Unai Simon made a clean save. Just three minutes later, Spain punished them: in the 63rd minute, Ferran Torres crossed the ball to the far post for Oyarzabal to leap and head home, completing his brace and sealing a 4-0 victory.

Coach Luis de la Fuente made substitutions to control the tempo, but La Roja maintained control. In the 75th minute, Barrios and Borja Iglesias combined to put Iglesias through on goal, but Mamardashvili made an excellent save. Georgia responded shortly after with a shot from Kvaratskhelia from the left wing, but Simon remained in control.

The final minutes saw a series of missed opportunities: Llorente nearly scored an own goal when his clearance hit the post; in the 88th minute, Baena's volley forced Mamardashvili to parry, and Iglesias's rebound shot went over the bar from a favorable position.

Tactical analysis: the versatile number 9 and wing attacks.

Spain pushed high up the pitch and completely controlled the tempo. Oyarzabal played the number 9 role in a versatile way: both as a target in the penalty area (penalty 11', header 63') and as a link to create opportunities for his teammates (cross leading to Ferran Torres' goal). Both wings were exploited to the fullest: Ferran Torres provided depth and quality crosses, while Pedro Porro supported the attack by overlapping and creating a dangerous scoring opportunity at the end of the first half.

In midfield, Fabian Ruiz provided through passes that directly unlocked Zubimendi's goal. When Georgia attempted long-range shots or attacks down the flanks, La Roja's defensive structure remained solid enough to keep Unai Simon from having to work too hard.

Overall impact

With a full three points, Spain holds a significant advantage, being three points ahead of Türkiye and needing only a draw in the final match to guarantee qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Georgia, meanwhile, is officially out of the running.

Notable statistics

• Score: Georgia 0-4 Spain
• Scored: Oyarzabal 11' (pen), 63'; Zubimendi 22'; Ferran Torres 35'
• VAR: Gocholeishvili's handball resulted in a penalty for Spain.
• Post: Baena (18'); Llorente nearly scored an own goal when his clearance hit the post.
• Goalkeeper: Mamardashvili made several notable saves; Unai Simon blocked shots from Mekvabishvili and Kvaratskhelia.

Final score: Georgia 0-4 Spain.

CTVX