#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict; # https://perlmonks.org/?node_id=11159009
use warnings;
use v5.36;

#my $x = "xyzzy foo1 foo2";
my $x = "xxxxxyyyyyyyyxxxyyy";
my @captured;
while ($x =~ s{ (xy) }{}msxg) {
    push @captured, $1;
    say "To Go '$x'";
}
say "Captured: '$_'" for @captured;
say "Left with '$x'";