Spain tops World Cup group as Uruguay crashes out after 1-0 defeat

Uruguay finished its campaign without a single victory, collecting just two points from three group-stage matches. Spain, the reigning European champion, topped the group with seven points and will meet the runner-up from Group J—either Austria or Algeria—in the Round of 32 on Thursday in Inglewood, California.

The decisive goal came in the 42nd minute when Álex Baena fired from inside the penalty area. Muslera failed to deal cleanly with the effort, allowing the ball to slip past him into the net. It marked the third goalkeeping mistake by the 40-year-old during the tournament. Muslera later asked head coach Marcelo Bielsa to substitute him at halftime.

"It was his decision to come off," Bielsa told reporters after the match.

The Uruguayan coach admitted responsibility for the disappointing campaign, insisting his players deserved far more from their performances.

"Nobody wants to hear explanations at a time like this," Bielsa said. "The responsibility is mine. I failed despite having a squad full of talented players."

Ranked 19th in the FIFA standings, Uruguay became the highest-ranked nation eliminated from the competition so far.

Elsewhere in the group, Cape Verde secured second place after drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia, finishing on three points—one more than both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Although Uruguay ended third, its total was not enough to qualify among the tournament's best third-placed teams.

The final whistle brought emotional scenes, with several Uruguayan players in tears while many supporters voiced their frustration by booing the team as it left the pitch.

Despite being one of the most highly anticipated group-stage fixtures, the match produced few clear scoring opportunities.

"I'm very proud of everything we've achieved," Baena said afterward. "We performed at a very high level."

Uruguay appealed strongly for a late penalty after Federico Viñas went down inside the penalty area, but the referee waved play on.

Tensions escalated in stoppage time when Agustín Canobbio was shown a red card for a challenge on Spain defender Paul Cubarsí. His teammates escorted him off the field, but after the match he returned in an attempt to speak with the referee.

World champions in 1930 and 1950, Uruguay entered the decisive match under pressure following consecutive draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. Local media had also reported growing unrest within the squad regarding Bielsa's leadership.

Spain, aiming to win its second World Cup title after lifting the trophy in 2010, began the tournament with an unexpected 0-0 draw against Cape Verde before responding with a convincing 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia. La Roja are hoping to progress beyond the Round of 16 for the first time since their championship-winning campaign.

Teenage forward Lamine Yamal, still recovering from a left hamstring injury, was unable to make a major impact and was substituted in the 76th minute for Ferran Torres. The 18-year-old had also been taken off at halftime against Saudi Arabia and appeared only as a second-half substitute in the draw with Cape Verde.

Uruguay suffered another setback before halftime when midfielder Manuel Ugarte sustained an apparent knee injury. He was receiving medical treatment on the field when Spain scored and was eventually stretchered off.

Among the 45,065 spectators at Estadio Akron was Spain's King Felipe VI.

Before kickoff, both teams observed a minute's silence to honor the victims of the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela late Wednesday, reports UNB.