Spain Vs Austria: Spain Cruise Past Austria 3-0 as Oyarzabal Brace Seals Round of 16 Berth

Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice and Pedro Porro added his first international goal as Spain dominated Austria to reach the World Cup Round of 16.

Spain cruised into the World Cup Round of 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Austria at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, as Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice to secure the European champions’ first World Cup knockout victory since their 2010 title-winning campaign.

La Roja asserted their authority from the opening whistle, monopolising possession while choking out Austria’s midfield. The breakthrough arrived in the 36th minute when Oyarzabal controlled a clever centering pass from Marc Cucurella and rolled a precise grounder into the bottom corner. Spain nearly doubled their lead just before halftime when Álex Baena rattled the crossbar with a stunning free-kick.

Austrian manager Ralf Rangnick made an unprecedented double substitution at halftime, removing both starting central midfielders. Austria enjoyed a brief second-half resurgence, coming agonisingly close when substitute Saša Kalajdžić’s header flew inches over the crossbar from a Marcel Sabitzer cross. However, Spain permanently killed off the tie in the 66th minute when Baena curled a perfect cross into the six-yard box for an unmarked Pedro Porro to head home his first international goal. Oyarzabal capped off the dominant display in the 89th minute, latching onto another Cucurella assist to smash home his brace and complete the 3-0 romp.

Spain dominated possession with 65 percent and registered 22 shots, 10 on target, while Austria managed five shots with none on target. Spanish passing accuracy stood at 91 percent compared to Austria’s 83 percent.

Goalkeeper Unai Simón surpassed Iker Casillas’ previous national record of 476 minutes without conceding a goal at a World Cup, keeping four consecutive clean sheets in the 2026 tournament. Simón completed the match without facing a shot on target, leaving him within touching distance of Walter Zenga’s all-time World Cup record of 517 consecutive scoreless minutes.

According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Spain advances safely to the Round of 16, where they will face the winner of the Portugal vs. Croatia blockbuster in Dallas on Monday, July 6.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on July 2, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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