Spain triumphs over Austria 3-0, securing their spot in the World Cup last 16. Oyarzabal scores twice, Porro adds another. Coach praises “almost perfect” perfor
Spain secured a place in the World Cup last 16 after a 3-0 victory over Austria. The win marks Spain’s first knockout stage victory since 2010. Mikel Oyarzabal scored two goals, while Pedro Porro contributed his first senior international goal for his country. Coach Luis de la Fuente described the performance as “almost perfect.”
Spain maintained a clean sheet for the fourth consecutive game, with Unai Simón surpassing Iker Casillas‘s 2010 record. The central defensive partnership of Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte continued to impress. Full-backs Marc Cucurella and Porro were noted for their strong performances, contributing to Spain’s 64% possession and 10 shots on target out of 23 total shots.
Dominant Performance on the Field
The match began with an early battle between Konrad Laimer and Lamine Yamal. Yamal’s shot in the opening minute, following a counter-attack, set the tone. De la Fuente had anticipated Austria’s high press, a strategy that suited Spain’s playing style, allowing them space to move the ball quickly and stretch the pitch. Early chances predominantly favoured Spain, including a volley from Dani Olmo that was inadvertently blocked by Oyarzabal, and a header from Laporte that went over the bar.
Austria also had an opportunity when Laimer advanced, and Marcel Sabitzer delivered an inswinging cross that narrowly eluded Michael Gregoritsch. Spain continued to press, and a goal from Cucurella was disallowed after the referee, Glenn Nyberg, ruled that Cubarsí was too close to the goalkeeper, Alex Schlager, as the ball dropped. Despite the decision, Spain’s persistence paid off in the 36th minute when Pedri found Cucurella, whose low delivery was converted by Oyarzabal.
Austria attempted to accelerate their play, but Spain responded with strong defensive commitment. Porro, Rodri, and Olmo were instrumental in recovering possession and thwarting Austrian attacks. A free-kick from Álex Baena struck the crossbar, and a subsequent effort from Yamal was saved by Schlager.
Austria’s World Cup Journey Ends
In the second half, Spain maintained their dominance. Austria’s ambition shifted towards weathering the storm, though they had a chance to equalise when Sabitzer found Sasa Kalajdzic, whose header went over the bar. Kalajdzic had only been on the pitch for a minute, having scored a 96th-minute goal in a previous match that secured Austria’s place in this game.
Spain continued to create opportunities. An effort from Olmo was blocked but the ball was recovered and fed to Baena, who pulled it back for Porro to head home. Oyarzabal then completed his brace, finishing a move that started with Simón and showcased Spain’s fluid play. This victory concludes Austria’s first World Cup knockout appearance in 44 years.
For this match, Spain made two changes to their starting lineup, with Pedro Porro and Dani Olmo replacing Marcos Llorente and Mikel Merino, who were moved to the bench. Lamine Yamal, who has scored a goal in three appearances in the tournament, started in attack alongside Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal, as Nico Williams is recovering from a leg injury. Austria made three changes, bringing in Kevin Danso, Paul Wanner, and Michael Gregoritsch, while Phillip Mwene, Philipp Lienhart, and Marko Arnautovic were on the bench.
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Source: theguardian.com
