Rodri and Marmoush grab crucial World Cup victories

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Manchester City F.C.

·21 Juni 2026

Rodri and Marmoush grab crucial World Cup victories

Rodri's Spain are almost guaranteed a place in the World Cup Round of 32 after thrashing Saudi Arabia 4-0, while Omar Marmoush helped Egypt to their first-ever win.

After an underwhelming opening Group H draw with Cape Verde, La Roja needed a statement win to restore confidence - and they got it.

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Rodri, wearing the captain’s armband, gave a commanding display as Spain put the Saudis under pressure from the word go.

And it took just 10 minutes to make that pressure pay, as Mikel Oyarzabal ‘s cross was turned in by Lamine Yamal at the far post.

The Spanish then effectively ended the contest with two goals in three minutes on 21 and 24 minutes, with Mikel Oyarzabal the scorer on each occasion and former City favourite Aymeric Laporte providing an assist for one of the goals.

Rodri looked sharp and commanding throughout and Spain added a deserved fourth just after the restart when Hassan Al Tambakti turned a Marc Cucurella shot on 48 minutes to complete a resounding win that all-but officially confirms their progress to the next phase.

Rodri, winning his 64th cap, played the full 90 minutes and the victory will be a welcome early present ahead of his 30th birthday tomorrow (22 June).

Omar Marmoush also enjoyed a special evening by helping Egypt secure their first-ever World Cup win with a 3-1 comeback victory over New Zealand in Group G.

After a bright start, the All Whites took an early lead through Fin Surman’s header from a corner, but Egypt responded well, with Marmoush testing Max Crocombe with a curling strike from the left-hand-side of the area soon after.

A clever free-kick routine between the City forward and Mo Salah then saw the latter flash an effort just wide of the post, but the Pharaohs’ pressure would eventually pay off just before the hour through Mostafa Zico’s header.

The equaliser was just rewards for the Egyptians, and they turned the game on its head less than ten minutes later when a neat one-two between Salah and Zico allowed the former Liverpool man to sweep home.

Marmoush was brought off with 15 to play for Trezeguet after another tireless display, and his replacement would make it three late on when heading home from a corner to complete the scoring.

Elsewhere, Jeremy Doku missed Belgium’s 0-0 draw with Iran.