Spain aims for strong win against Saudi Arabia after shaky start

Spain is looking to bounce back in their World Cup journey when they face Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday.

Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente said his players felt the heat from fans after their first match ended in a goalless draw against Cape Verde. Cape Verde is a small country with just over half a million people and they are playing in their first World Cup.

The European champions came to North America as favorites. But with Lamine Yamal only able to play in the second half due to injury, La Roja could not score against Cape Verde.

De la Fuente, who called his team the best in the world before the tournament, is confident they will show their true potential on Sunday.

“This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up. It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said during his press conference on Saturday.

“There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”

Yamal's fitness has been a hot topic in Spain's camp. The 18-year-old winger is not yet ready to play a full match, but De la Fuente feels pressure to start him.

“The most important thing is that he’s back,” he said.

Saudi Arabia also had a draw in their first match, ending 1-1 with Uruguay.