The World Cup returned to Atlanta for its third match day, this time pitting a hungry Saudi Arabia squad against the same Spanish team that became the recipient of Cabo Verde’s 0-0 upset last weekend. Atlanta Stadium was undeniably Spanish red, though a very sizable pocket of Saudi fans provided some of the best atmosphere the tournament has seen here thus far. Unfortunately for them, the team’s gusto on the pitch didn’t match that of the fans in the seats, and Saudi Arabia was attempting to dig out of a giant hole by the 20th minute. Spain, on the other hand, finally showed the side that everyone felt could go all the way, and the supporter’s almost lifted the roof off the place. Here are the final whistle thoughts live from Atlanta!
Spain
Olé, Olé, Olé just broke out here in the stadium in about the 80th minute, and Spanish fans have every reason to party. After a disappointing result for them at Atlanta’s first World Cup match day, Spain fans were jonesing for some goals. It took all of ten minutes for one Lamine Yamal to answer the call, slotting home a wonderful, flat cross for what would be the first of Spain’s multiple goals on the day. And when Yamal hit the back of the net, the stadium absolutely erupted. It never really felt like Spain needed to worry after that 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but the release from the first goal felt like a collective weight off the shoulders all the same.
I spoke with many Spain fans before the match and they’ve traveled here from all over, not just Spain or the United States. I chatted with quite a few from Venezuela, Peru, a variety of Caribbean island nations, and even a few from different countries in Africa. They truly got their moneys worth in this match, as all their superstars showed out in the best possible manner. The tapas restaurants around Atlanta are about to go nuts.
Saudi Arabia
So, the team didn’t play well, let’s get that out of the way. Their backline was totally disorganized from the opening whistle, and their chance creation was essentially nonexistent. That being said, Spain is one of the best teams in the world for a reason. They smothered and suffocated the Saudis with their possession-based play, and Saudi Arabia didn’t have much of an answer for it. The amount of resources that have gone into the beautiful game in that country haven’t fully translated to much for the actual national team.
Now, their fans were something else entirely. This is my third World Cup match, and Saudi Arabia’s fans might have been the most impressive so far. They quite literally never stopped chanting, singing, drumming, waving flags, and making noise the entire match. Honestly, the largest teams in the world would immediately have their supporter’s sections elevated by having this group of fans embedded. I truly hate the result for them, because they deserved at least a goal, but in the true spirit of the World Cup, they definitely had a great time.
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Let us know down below what you thought of the match!