World Cup day 16: Spain beats Uruguay 1-0 and tops Group H

A big day and a happy ending, mate: Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 in Guadalajara, topped Group H as group leaders with 7 points and, in the process, sent Bielsa's Celeste packing. La Roja are through to the round of 16 and, best of all, they've got the kind draw.

The goal and the match. It wasn't a flowing game—there was plenty of graft required, as Cucurella later admitted—but Spain were more clinical where it mattered. On 42 minutes, Álex Baena connected with a slick half-volley from the edge of the box that got past Fernando Muslera after a dodgy bit of goalkeeping. That 1-0 at the break turned out to be the final score. Late in the second half, Canobbio saw red for a nasty tackle on Rodri: a pretty fair summary of Uruguay's desperation.

How Group H shapes up. Spain top with 7 points. And the lovely surprise: Cape Verde, competing in their first World Cup ever, sneak into second spot unbeaten (0-0 with Spain, 2-2 with Uruguay and 0-0 with Saudi Arabia). Half a million people and they're into the round of 16: one of the tournament's best stories. Uruguay (2 points) and Saudi Arabia (2) are out. For Bielsa, it's his second group-stage exit at a World Cup, 24 years after the one with Argentina in 2002.

The poignant moment: Muslera's farewell. At a freshly turned 40, the keeper wore on his shirt the legacy badge the FIFA awards for playing in five World Cups. Football, cruel as it is, made sure his mistake decided the match of his own elimination; he was replaced in the second half by Rochet. Tough way for a true great to say goodbye.

What's next: the draw and the road ahead. By finishing top, Spain avoid Argentina and Brazil until a potential final, and France or Germany until the semis. Their round of 16 opponent will be Austria (runners-up in Group J) and the match is Thursday, July 2nd in Los Angeles. With that, De la Fuente's La Roja go into 34 games unbeaten in official competition. Looking mint, pal.

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