Spain seals World Cup group win as Muslera mistake ends Uruguay campaign

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — A costly mistake from Fernando Muslera handed Spain a 1-0 victory over Uruguay on Friday, sending the European champions into the World Cup knockout stage and ending the South Americans’ tournament.

Uruguay, winners of the trophy on two previous occasions, finished Group H without a single win across three matches. Spain topped the section with seven points and will meet the Group J runner-up — Austria or Algeria — in Inglewood, California, on Thursday.

Álex Baena found the net in the 42nd minute when Muslera failed to deal cleanly with a close-range effort inside the penalty area. The incident marked the veteran goalkeeper’s third error at this World Cup; coach Marcelo Bielsa replaced the 40-year-old at the interval.

Ranked 19th by FIFA, Uruguay became the most highly placed side knocked out of the competition so far.