Spain\u2019s Mikel Oyarzabal, facing, celebrates with Alex Baena (15) after scoring his side\u2019s opening goal through the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Spain and Austria in Inglewood, California, near Los Angeles, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jae C. Hong)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
INGLEWOOD, California \u2014 Although Spain arrived at this yr\u2019s World Cup as a championship favorite after which went unbeaten through group play, those first three matches weren\u2019t overly impressive.<\/p>\n
When the knockout rounds finally arrived Thursday, this star-studded team turned on its full talent and served notice that Spain might be just nearly as good as everybody thought \u2014 and it\u2019s probably improving.<\/p>\n
READ: World Cup: Spain wins group, eliminates Uruguay<\/strong><\/p>\n Mikel Oyarzabal scored two goals and Spain beat Austria 3-0 for its first World Cup victory in a knockout match since winning the title in 2010.<\/p>\n Pedro Porro added a goal within the second half as La Roja placed on its most impressive performance of the tournament while demonstrating offensive creativity and defensive rigor throughout its vaunted lineup.<\/p>\n \u201cThe good teams step up when it\u2019s needed,\u201d Spain coach Luis De La Fuente said. \u201cWe played an amazing match. We got here near perfection, but we must keep improving.\u201d<\/p>\n While Oyarzabal, fullback Marc Cucurella and winger Lamine Yamal all had sensational moments in attack, Spain also has yet to permit a goal at this yr\u2019s World Cup. Austria didn’t get a shot on track, so Unai Sim\u00f3n didn\u2019t must make a save while keeping his fourth consecutive clean sheet and setting a World Cup record with 519 consecutive shutout minutes dating back to the last tournament in Qatar.<\/p>\n Everybody in a red shirt was glad after a dominant day within the Los Angeles area \u2014 but no one was satisfied, either.<\/p>\n Spain\u2019s Pedro Porro, left, celebrates scoring his side\u2019s second goal against Austria with teammates through the World Cup round of 32 soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mark J. Terrill)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad to have helped the team for us to undergo one other round,\u201d Oyarzabal said. \u201cNow just rest and prepare for the subsequent one. It was a sophisticated match. We knew that it was going to be difficult against a really physical team, but we had a superb day and played a very good match.\u201d<\/p>\n La Roja will next face Portugal, a 2-1 winner over Croatia, in Dallas on Monday within the round of 16.<\/p>\n Yamal had 4 of Spain\u2019s 10 shots on goal while getting wild cheers from the pro-Spanish sellout crowd at SoFi Stadium. The 18-year-old Barcelona sensation played his longest stretch of the tournament before coming off within the eighty fifth minute, moments after Austria defender David Alaba deflected Yamal\u2019s hard shot off the goal line.<\/p>\n Spain got its marquee offense from Oyarzabal, the Real Sociedad captain who has 4 goals at this yr\u2019s World Cup by opening the scoring within the thirty sixth minute and clinching the victory within the 89th. Cucurella had assists on each of Oyarzabal\u2019s goals, demonstrating a wonderful connection from the left side.<\/p>\n \u201cOur only focus is to stay pondering that we’d like to exceed our own expectations,\u201d De La Fuente said. \u201cToday\u2019s match is just the prelude to what\u2019s next, because in the subsequent match we’ll attempt to play even higher. We’ve wonderful players. Their behavior, their attitude, their talent is insurmountable.\u201d<\/p>\n Goalkeeper Alexander Schlager made six saves in an impressive performance for Austria, which reached the knockout rounds of its first World Cup since 1998 by squeaking out a late draw with an injury-time goal against Algeria. Coach Ralf Rangnick\u2019s team hasn\u2019t won a knockout match on the World Cup since 1954.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot remember any unforced error they made,\u201d Rangnick said of Spain. \u201cI feel they showed us their best performance. I might dare to say we didn’t only meet the European champion, but possibly the subsequent world champion. If you wish to win it, it’s good to win against Spain. But when we had a lucky punch, we could have had a likelihood.\u201d<\/p>\n Spain is firmly back in World Cup contention for the primary time since winning all of it in South Africa 16 years ago. La Roja lost two knockout matches and got eliminated within the group stage over the past three World Cups.<\/p>\n But Spain is now unbeaten 35 straight competitive matches since March 2023. La Roja won the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship in that stretch, but additionally lost the 2025 Nations League final on penalties to Portugal.<\/p>\n Following a cautious start against Austria, Spain unleashed its full attack after the first-half hydration break. Three minutes after Schlager made a diving fingertip save on Oyarzabal\u2019s low shot, the Spain player got here unmarked within the penalty area and coolly converted Cucurella\u2019s pass.<\/p>\n Spain kept up its pressure after halftime, playing a few of its most creative soccer of the tournament. It was rewarded when \u00c1lex Baena broke in on the left side and lifted a pass to an unmarked Porro, who banged home an emphatic header for his first international goal.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople have their opinions, (but) we\u2019ve been doing our job since Day 1,\u201d Porro said. \u201cWe imagine in ourselves, and whatever people on the skin say is fair enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Oyarzabal wrapped it up by converting one other sharp pass from Cucurella.<\/p>\n Sim\u00f3n has only needed to make 4 saves in his 4 straight shutouts. His World Cup shutout streak of 519 minutes broke the tournament record set by Italy great Walter Zenga on the 1990 World Cup in Italy.<\/p>\n![\"Spain's](\"https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/07\/AP26184002650725-scaled.jpg\")
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