BARCELONA, Spain: Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain maintained their perfect form in World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 win in Georgia on Saturday as they closed in on a berth at next year’s showpiece tournament.
Luis de la Fuente’s side has scored 19 times while conceding zero goals in five group victories.
The European champion are poised to wrap up a spot in the finals when they meet Turkiye on Tuesday in their last qualifier.
Spain lead Group E by three points over Turkiye, which beat Bulgaria 2-0 on Saturday.
The only way the Turks could pip Spain for the top spot and grab a direct ticket to the World Cup would be by winning in Seville by a huge margin.
A tiebreaker would be decided by goal difference. Spain is on +19, while Turkiye is on +5.
The home side didn’t miss injured stars Lamine Yamal, Pedri González or Rodri against the overmatched Georgia.
The Real Sociedad striker Oyarzabal led Spain with his two goals and an assist. Martín Zubimendi and Ferran Torres also scored as their team were up 3-0 by halftime.
Oyarzabal opened the scoring with a penalty in the 11th minute and headed in the fourth goal in the 63rd. Marcos Llorente cleared a late Georgia shot from the goal-line to protect Spain’s run of clean sheets.
Belgium must wait
Belgium were held to a 1-1 draw in Kazakhstan and missed a chance to qualify for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Rudi Garcia’s side can still advance with a win over Liechtenstein on Tuesday in their final qualifier.
Belgium lead Group J with two points more than North Macedonia.
The draw in Astana guaranteed the Belgians will finish in the top two. The 12 group winners from European qualification go directly to the World Cup. The continent’s remaining four berths are decided by a playoff of the dozen runners-up.
Kazakhstan took a ninth-minute lead through 17-year-old Dastan Satpayev. Hans Vanaken leveled for Belgium in the 48th when the Club Brugge midfielder headed in a cross by Timothy Castagne.
But Belgium, which had routed Kazahkstan 6-0 in September, were unable to take advantage of playing with an extra man from the 79th minute after Islam Chesnokov was red carded for a hard challenge on Jeremy Doku.
Mikel Oyarzabal stars as Spain remain perfect in World Cup qualifying, Belgium held
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Mikel Oyarzabal stars as Spain remain perfect in World Cup qualifying, Belgium held
- Luis de la Fuente’s side has scored 19 times while conceding zero goals in five group victories
- The European champion are poised to wrap up a spot in the finals when they meet Turkiye on Tuesday in their last qualifier
FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign welcomes Palestinian student
- Ghada Ashour, 24, who grew up in Gaza, becomes fifth scholar selected for FIA’s flagship scholarship initiative
DUBAI: The FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign has welcomed Ghada Ashour, a 24-year-old student from Palestine, to its flagship scholarship program, created to empower the next generation of researchers in the fight against online abuse in sport.
Ashour grew up in Gaza where she had been studying remotely until gaining a place on the UAOA scholarship, which brought her to Dublin City University, Ireland.
Becoming the fifth scholar to join the program, she was selected based on her interests in social media, and passion for advancing insights in this area for the benefit of sportspeople.
Launched in 2023, the program offers talented students and young professionals from diverse backgrounds the chance to engage in research on the impact, prevalence, and prevention of online abuse in sport.
Funded by the FIA Foundation, the UAOA scholars have been selected to undertake research dedicated to positive social change.
Ashour’s thesis, which will be printed in English and Arabic, will focus specifically on the relationship between athlete activism and online abuse.
Athletes increasingly speak out on war, conflict, and social and environmental issues. Although the attention such athletes bring can be positive, research indicates it can lead to significant abuse.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, founder of the UAOA campaign, said: “The FIA is committed to extending opportunities across the world while inspiring and developing the next generation.
“Education lies at the core of this mission, and I am pleased to welcome Ghada as the latest student in the UAOA Scholarship Programme.
“Her experience and research will help broaden the international perspective on this critical issue. This pioneering research program will help ensure we safeguard the future of sport for generations to come.”
Ashour said she was “truly grateful” to the FIA leader: “It is a dream come true to study the subject I am passionate about at a leading institution in this field.
“I am so excited to advance the field of research in online abuse in sport and to contribute to this prevalent topic which is impacting so many people’s lives on a daily basis.”
The UAOA’s 2025 Barometer Report found that 75 percent of sports federations report continued threats against competitors and their families, and that 90 percent believe abuse could force athletes to leave their sport.
Dublin City University is a leading academic institution in the study of online abuse.
Each scholar is fully funded and mentored by leading experts in the field. They are able to attend UAOA events, where they can share their findings with a global audience of policymakers, sports federations, and digital platforms.
The inaugural cohort of four UAOA scholars included participants from Italy, South Africa, the UK, and Mexico.
