Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain thrashed Austria 3-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 on Thursday, sealing a comfortable passage into the last 16. Pedro Porro added the third goal with a header, as the European champions dominated possession and territory throughout the match at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood.
The result sets up a last-16 clash against either Portugal or Croatia on Monday. Spain could have won by a wider margin, having also hit the woodwork and seen a goal ruled out during the game.
Oyarzabal Brace Seals Dominant Win Over Austria
Spain took control from the opening whistle, creating a string of chances before breaking the deadlock in the 36th minute. Pedri played a pass out wide to Marc Cucurella, whose cross found Oyarzabal, who calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.
The Real Sociedad forward doubled his tally in the 89th minute, converting another Cucurella cross to make it 3-0. Porro also scored, heading in a cross from Alex Baena in the 66th minute for his first international goal.
Speaking after the final whistle, Oyarzabal said he was pleased to help the team advance and that the squad now needed rest. He described Austria as a physical side that was difficult to break down, though he felt Spain still produced a strong performance overall.
When asked about Spain’s potential last-16 opponents, Oyarzabal said the outcome would not matter much to him personally, since he has friends in both the Portugal and Croatia squads.
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Yamal and Baena Cause Problems Throughout
Lamine Yamal was a constant threat on the right flank for most of the match, repeatedly troubling the Austrian backline before being substituted in the second half as a precaution. Baena also had a major hand in the win, striking the crossbar with a free kick in the first half before setting up Porro’s goal after the break.
Austria’s best chance of the match came when Romano Schmid found substitute Stefan Posch in space, but a heavy first touch cost him the opportunity to shoot. David Alaba was forced into a goal-line clearance later in the game to deny Yamal, underlining Spain’s control for most of the ninety minutes.
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Spain Set Up Last-16 Meeting With Portugal or Croatia
With the win, Spain moves on to face the winner of the Portugal-Croatia last-32 tie, scheduled for Monday in Dallas. Spain enter the next round as one of the tournament favourites, having shown few signs of weakness in their opening knockout match.
Austria, by contrast, brought on forwards Sasa Kalajdzic and Marko Arnautovic in search of a way back into the game but could not find a route past a well-organised Spanish defence.
The result extends Spain’s strong recent form on the international stage as they continue their pursuit of World Cup glory in North America.
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