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Spain clinched a 1–0 victory over Uruguay in Guadalajara to top Group H at the World Cup, knocking out the two-time world champions in the group stage. Álex Baena scored the decisive goal in the 42nd minute, converting Marcos Llorente’s assist with a right-footed strike that slipped past goalkeeper Fernando Muslera—a shot he was expected to save.

The contest turned on Muslera’s critical error, which triggered Uruguay’s loss of composure. The veteran keeper was substituted at halftime in a rare performance-related change. Captain Federico Valverde was taken off after 57 minutes, while Agustín Canobbio was sent off in stoppage time with a straight red card. Here’s a detailed look at the winners and losers from Uruguay’s clash with Spain.

Unai Simón produced a commanding display between the posts for Spain, ensuring their narrow advantage held firm. The goalkeeper made four vital saves throughout the match, repeatedly frustrating Uruguay’s attempts to find an equaliser during sustained second-half pressure.

His key interventions came at crucial junctures: he stopped a dangerous cross-shot from Uruguay in the 29th minute, kept out Darwin Núñez’s deflected header in first-half stoppage time, tipped Mathías Olivera’s teasing cross over the bar at 82 minutes, and parried Nicolás de la Cruz’s fierce long-range drive at 85 minutes.

Even though Ferran Torres struck the crossbar in the 86th minute rather than forcing another save, Simón’s assured handling ensured Spain never looked likely to surrender their lead. His clean sheet ultimately sealed Uruguay’s elimination from the competition.

Álex Baena’s goal proved decisive, sending Uruguay out of the World Cup. The Villarreal midfielder struck in the 42nd minute after receiving a perfectly timed pass from Marcos Llorente, beating Muslera to give Spain the lead they would hold until the final whistle.

Beyond his goal, Baena remained a constant threat on the left flank. In the 34th minute, he whipped in a dangerous cross that narrowly missed everyone before reaching Muslera. His movement and precise deliveries continually unsettled Uruguay’s defensive structure throughout the first half.

Though he was booked early in the second half and substituted in the 66th minute, Baena’s earlier impact had already secured Spain’s progression to the knockout rounds as group winners. One moment of brilliance completely altered the complexion of Group H.

Fernando Muslera’s blunder on Baena’s strike ultimately cost Uruguay their place in the World Cup. The 42nd-minute effort was neither powerful nor particularly well-placed, yet the experienced keeper allowed it to slip through—a glaring mistake at the worst possible time.

The error was made even more significant by the circumstances surrounding his selection. Muslera had been preferred over Sergio Rochet, Uruguay’s regular first-choice goalkeeper during the qualifiers—a call that reportedly sparked discontent within the squad. His costly lapse vindicated those concerns in the most damaging way.

At halftime, coach Marcelo Bielsa made the extraordinary decision to replace Muslera with Rochet—a virtually unheard-of mid-match change for performance reasons in a World Cup fixture. Muslera’s mistake and subsequent substitution will be remembered as the defining moment of Uruguay’s campaign, as the two-time champions bowed out at the group stage.