Spain secured top spot in Group H with a disciplined 1-0 victory over Uruguay, ending La Celeste's World Cup campaign and booking their place in the Round of 32 with another composed display.

In a tightly contested encounter where clear-cut chances were at a premium, one costly mistake proved decisive as Luis de la Fuente's side once again demonstrated why they are among the tournament favorites.

Cagey Battle Before Spain Strike

Spain started brightly and nearly opened the scoring inside two minutes.

Mikel Oyarzabal burst into the penalty area before seeing his effort deflected into the side netting, but the early opportunity failed to ignite an open contest.

Both teams settled into a tactical battle, with possession carefully managed and space difficult to find.

Uruguay gradually grew into the match, coming closest when captain Federico Valverde surged down the right and delivered a dangerous cutback that narrowly evaded Darwin Núñez.

Rodrigo Bentancur also tested his luck from distance, but neither goalkeeper was seriously troubled for much of the opening half.

A Costly Error Changes Everything

The breakthrough finally arrived just before halftime—and it came in heartbreaking fashion for Uruguay.

Receiving a pass from Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena spun inside the penalty area and fired a relatively tame effort toward goal.

What appeared to be a routine save suddenly turned into disaster as veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera allowed the ball to slip through his hands and into the net.

It was a painful mistake that handed Spain a priceless 1-0 lead heading into the interval.

Uruguay Search for a Response

Marcelo Bielsa reacted immediately after the break, replacing Muslera with Sergio Rochet in a ruthless tactical decision.

Uruguay's problems were compounded after Manuel Ugarte was forced off through injury, while the later withdrawal of Federico Valverde further disrupted their rhythm.

Despite introducing fresh legs, La Celeste struggled to break down Spain's disciplined defensive structure.

The European champions continued to threaten on the counterattack, with Lamine Yamal once again proving a constant danger.

A brilliant run to the byline almost created a simple finish for Oyarzabal before Mathías Olivera produced a crucial last-ditch interception.

Spain Hold Firm

Uruguay threw everything forward during the closing stages.

Olivera came agonizingly close when his mishit cross struck the outside of the post, while Nicolás de la Cruz forced Unai Simón into an excellent save from long range.

Spain also had chances to put the game beyond doubt.

Substitute Ferran Torres raced through one-on-one with Rochet but saw his delicate chip bounce off the crossbar, keeping Uruguay alive until the closing moments.

Ultimately, it made little difference.

Spain remained composed, protected their narrow advantage and comfortably saw out the victory.

Frustration Ends Uruguay's Campaign

Uruguay's disappointing tournament came to a fittingly frustrating conclusion when Agustín Canobbio received a stoppage-time red card after losing his composure.

The dismissal summed up a campaign that never truly got going.

Finishing third in the group with only two points, La Celeste bowed out of the World Cup without recording a single victory.

Spain Ready for the Knockout Stage

For Spain, however, confidence continues to grow.

Three strong group-stage performances have seen Luis de la Fuente's side finish top of Group H and head into the Round of 32 with genuine momentum.

Solid defensively.

Clinical when it mattered.

And led by another mature team performance, La Roja now move one step closer to their dream of lifting the World Cup trophy once again.