Mikel Oyarzabal stars as Spain remains perfect in World Cup qualifying, Belgium held

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain maintained its perfect form in World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 win in Georgia on Saturday as it 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 is poised to wrap up a spot in the finals when it meets Turkey on Tuesday in its last qualifier.

Spain leads Group E by three points over Turkey, 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 overall goal difference. Spain is on +19, while Turkey is on +5.

Even so, De la Fuente said it was too early to celebrate.

“We have maximum respect for all our rivals, including Turkey,” De la Fuente said. “We have to keep our feet on the ground and maintain this attitude until we are mathematically qualified.”

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 was 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.

Those were goals 20 and 21 for him on his 50th appearance for Spain. His most important goal for his country was the winner in the 2024 European Championship final, a 2-1 victory over England.

Turkey locked up a top-two finish and assured a playoff spot after Hakan Çalhanoğlu scored a penalty and Bulgaria defender Atanas Chernev added an own goal.

The 12 group winners from European qualification go directly to the World Cup. France, England and Croatia have won their groups. The continent’s remaining four berths are decided by a playoff of the dozen runners-up.

Belgium was held to a 1-1 draw in Kazakhstan and missed a chance to qualify for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Belgium leads Group J with two points more than North Macedonia. Rudi Garcia’s side can still advance with a win over Liechtenstein on Tuesday in their final qualifier.

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, was 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.

Also in Group J, Jordan James scored as Wales won 1-0 at Liechtenstein.

Wales and North Macedonia are tied on 13 points in joint second place before they face-off on Tuesday.

Austria forward Marko Arnautovic scored twice to spark a 2-0 win in Cyprus, but Edin Dzeko helped Bosnia and Herzegovina keep in contention for the top spot in Group H after beating Romania 3-1.

Austria leads Bosnia by two points before they play in Vienna on Tuesday. They are both guaranteed a top-two finish.

Greece beat Scotland 3-2 in Group C, while Denmark drew 2-2 with Belarus. That means the Danes will have a one-point lead over the Scots when they meet in Glasgow on Tuesday.

Switzerland remained in charge of Group B after downing Sweden 4-1, while Kosovo remained three points behind following a 2-0 win in Slovenia. Kosovo hosts the Swiss next week in Pristina.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during a World Cup 2026 group E qualifying soccer match between Georgia and Spain in Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili)

Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during a World Cup 2026 group E qualifying soccer match between Georgia and Spain in Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili)

Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal scores his side's opening goal during a World Cup 2026 group E qualifying soccer match between Georgia and Spain in Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili)

Spain's players celebrate after scoring their side's first goal scored by Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal during a World Cup 2026 group E qualifying soccer match between Georgia and Spain in Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili)

Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during a World Cup 2026 group E qualifying soccer match between Georgia and Spain in Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili)

Belgium Arthur Theate, left, and Kazakhstan's Artur Shushenachev challenge for the ball during the 2026 World Cup group J qualifying soccer match between Kazakhstan and Belgium in Astana, Kazakhstan, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo)

Belgium Amadou Onana, right, and Kazakhstan's Islam Chesnokov challenge for the ball during the 2026 World Cup group J qualifying soccer match between Kazakhstan and Belgium in Astana, Kazakhstan, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo)

NEW YORK (AP) — Patrick Roy was fired as coach of the New York Islanders on Sunday, another late-season change in the NHL that comes with a team in the middle of a spring tailspin that has put their playoff chances in jeopardy.

First-year general manager Mathieu Darche announced the abrupt decision to part ways with Roy and name Peter DeBoer his replacement with four games left in the season. The Islanders have lost four in a row and seven of their past 10 games, going from comfortably in a playoff spot to needing help down the stretch in a competitive Eastern Conference race.

Roy is the second NHL coach fired over the past eight days. The Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy and hired John Tortorella on an interim basis a week ago.

DeBoer is taking the job full-time, fresh off serving as an assistant on Canada's staff at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The 57-year-old has taken two teams to the Stanley Cup Final and most recently coached the Dallas Stars to three consecutive trips to the Western Conference final before being fired last year following their latest exit.

Roy, a Hall of Fame goaltender, was hired by former GM Lou Lamoriello in January 2024 as a midseason replacement for fired coach Lane Lambert. Sparked by his arrival, the team made the playoffs that year and lost in the first round to Carolina. Regression has followed since.

Parting ways with Roy comes at crucial point for the organization. Rookie of the year front-runner Matthew Schaefer has been a revelation in his first NHL season at the age of 18, and several other top prospects are on their way.

Roy was in his second job running a team in the league, following a three-year tenure with Colorado from 2013-16 that included winning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year and abruptly resigning in the middle of the summer.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

FILE - Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer looks on during the third period in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Friday, May 23, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy speaks to members of the media before an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa, File)