Spain Storm Into World Cup Last 16 With Dominant 3-0 Win Over Austria

Spain secured their place in the World Cup 2026 last 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Austria on Thursday, delivering another polished display that gave their opponents little room to breathe.

A brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a header from Pedro Porro sealed the knockout win, as the European champions dominated possession and repeatedly carved open the Austrian defense in Los Angeles.

A Star-Studded Occasion in Los Angeles

The clash took place before a packed SoFi Stadium, transformed into a sea of red as excitement built around the first visit by a genuine World Cup favorite to America's second city. Among the spectators cheering Spain on were Hollywood figures Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, along with singer Rosalia.

Spain built their pressure gradually through the first half, generating a series of chances after the first hydration break. Marc Cucurella briefly thought he had opened the scoring from a Lamine Yamal corner, but the goal was ruled out after Pau Cubarsi was judged to have encroached on Austria's goalkeeper. Alexander Schlager then produced a superb diving save to keep out a low effort from Oyarzabal.

Oyarzabal Breaks the Deadlock

Austria's resistance finally cracked in the 36th minute. Pedri spread the ball wide to Cucurella on the left, and his cross was calmly side-footed home by Oyarzabal past the goalkeeper.

Spain's control only grew from there, with Yamal a constant threat down the right flank. An Alex Baena free kick struck the crossbar, and Yamal's close-range follow-up was well saved. Austria's best moment came when Romano Schmid found an unmarked Stefan Posch, but a poor first touch meant the chance slipped away before he could shoot.

Second Half Seals the Win

After the interval, Spain continued to press without immediately putting the result beyond doubt. Austria introduced two tall strikers, Sasa Kalajdzic and Marko Arnautovic, and went direct, with Kalajdzic heading over the bar.

In the 66th minute, Spain struck again. Baena lifted a cross onto the head of Pedro Porro, who nodded in his first international goal. Dogged defending kept the margin respectable, including a goalline clearance by David Alaba to deny Yamal, who was substituted shortly afterwards to rest.

As the closing minutes ticked away, Spain moved the ball around the pitch to chants of "Ole" from the crowd. In the 89th minute, a precise Cucurella cross found Oyarzabal completely unmarked in the box, and he slotted home to complete his brace and the scoreline.

The result could have been even more emphatic, given a disallowed goal and a free kick that struck the woodwork. The victory sets up an intriguing round-of-16 encounter with either Portugal or Croatia, a sterner test awaiting Spain on Monday in Dallas. With Spain looking increasingly formidable, this is a run worth following closely — share your thoughts and this article as the knockout stages heat up.

Source: France 24 – English