Without Yamal, Spain Finds Another Way to Dominate

ELCHE, SATURDAY — Without the magical child and the best player in the squad, Lamine Yamal, the Spanish national team still proved to be too dominant for Georgia. Spain showcased a new dimension of attack from the wings and set pieces against the visiting team, which featured star player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The host Spain seemed to be playing alone in the group stage match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at the Martínez Valero Stadium, Elche, on Sunday (12/10/2025) early morning WIB. Although they only won 2-0 against Georgia, the team coached by Luis De la Fuente completely dominated the match. They deserved a larger victory.

If Pedri and his teammates had been a bit more clinical and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had not made several brilliant saves, Spain might have celebrated a goal fest. They managed to create ten big chances from 24 shots, including a missed penalty by Ferran Torres. Meanwhile, Georgia recorded only one shot.

"That is true, we should have achieved a very significant victory. We could have won with a decisive score of 6-0, but it is difficult to win by such a score at the international level. The most important thing is what we have done and what needs to be improved. Georgia defended well and had a great goalkeeper," said De la Fuente to AS.

A pair of goals from the home team originated from set-piece schemes. The opening goal by winger Yeremy Pino in the first half started from a corner kick. Forward Mikel Oyarzabal doubled the lead with a direct free kick in the middle of the second half. Although dominated by set-piece goals, Spain was far more dangerous in open play.

"Si Matador," as they are nicknamed in Spain, only felt the absence of Yamal for the first five minutes. Without the injured Barcelona player, they lacked a figure capable of creating plays with penetrations from the right wing. His replacement was Torres, Yamal's teammate at Barca, who is a winger with a different style of play.

De la Fuente found another idea to maximize the attacking line. Torres was not assigned to operate on the wing. He more often made runs without the ball into the penalty area to lure through passes or to prepare for receiving crosses. As a result, Spain had three players simultaneously in the opponent's penalty area, including Oyarzabal and midfielder Mikel Merino.

The attack on the right side was entirely entrusted to wing-back Pedro Porro. Instead of threatening with penetrations from the wing as usual when Yamal is present, Spain more frequently sent wing crosses through Porro. This method proved effective in creating turmoil that led to opportunities in the opponent's penalty area.

The midfield duo of Martin Zubimendi and Pedri also successfully dominated the midfield completely. They were very patient in controlling the tempo of the attack and breaking down the opponent's defense. Georgia was not given the opportunity to counterattack due to the nearly perfect passes from the opponents. Meanwhile, Spain controlled the ball for 83 percent of the time.

On the opposing side, Kvaratskhelia managed to record only 19 touches during his 69 minutes on the field. The star player of Paris Saint-Germain did not contribute much due to a lack of supply. Georgia nearly only defended with a low block in a 5-3-2 formation from the kickoff until the final whistle.

The result simultaneously reaffirms Spain's dominance as the defending champion of the European Championship. They have remained unbeaten in official matches for 28 consecutive times. Remarkably, this time they were still able to dominate without many key players. In addition to Yamal, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, and Nico Williams were also absent during this international break.

"We know we will face the loss of many players and that will certainly be difficult. However, I am very pleased with the team's performance. It is clear that the absent players are important, but those of us who are here are equally important. Our main strength is the team itself," Oyarzabal explained to RTVE.

Spain's journey to the World Cup remains smooth and unimpeded. They currently top Group E with nine points from three matches. They have won all their games and have yet to concede a goal so far. Interestingly, the eleven goals they have scored come from six different players.

This further demonstrates that "The Matador" does not rely solely on one player. "This team is filled with great players who are never satisfied. The absence of several players also opens up opportunities for other great talents. As is known, Spanish football is an endless talent factory," said De la Fuente. (AP/REUTERS)