Oyarzabal: we lacked precision in the attacking third; there is no need to panic yet

Oyarzabal stated after Spain's 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their opening FIFA World Cup match that the team lacked precision with the final pass, while praising the opponent's thorough preparation and noting that the Cape Verdean players knew exactly how they wanted to play.

Regarding the match,

Everyone who comes here wants to win. We need to stay calm, just as we have before. I don't think we played badly; it was just that in the final third, the finishing touch wasn't good enough. We pressed near their penalty area for almost the entire game and came very close to scoring, but we lacked that final touch, that final pass, that final shot. Maybe in another game, we would have taken those opportunities. There is no need to panic now; let's get some good rest and then focus on the next game.

When asked whether the team had not yet reached optimal physical condition,

I don't think so. Ultimately, when you don't score and the result is not ideal, people always start looking for reasons, even excuses. But I think we controlled the game and played well with the ball; we were just missing something in the final third—the final pass and the final run were not executed well. We used to handle these aspects very clearly, but today they were indeed lacking.

Regarding Cape Verde's compact defense,

We knew it would be difficult to get the ball in because they had a lot of defenders crowded near the penalty area. As the game progresses, if you constantly pull them apart and tire them out, there may be more opportunities to get the ball in. But both aspects need to be considered; we still need to stay calm and find the right balance.

Regarding whether the draw was more a reflection of Cape Verde's credit or Spain's own problems,

Actually, that question is not that important. The game has already ended in a draw, and that is the result; there is nothing more to say. I think they were very well prepared. It was clear from the game that all 11 of their players were almost constantly defending near the penalty area. They knew exactly how they wanted to play. Perhaps at a different point in time, if that deflected shot in the first half had gone in, or Ferran's shot that hit the crossbar, or if an early opportunity had been capitalized on, this game might have been completely different. But these are all just "ifs." We need to accept what has happened and move forward.