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Spain booked their place in the World Cup Round of 16 with a 3-0 win against Austria in a match they controlled from beginning to end. This is their first World Cup knockout win in 16 years, since the 2010 edition, which they won. After dominating ball possession early in the first half without scoring, Spain thought they had taken the lead through Marc Cucurella, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on the Austrian goalkeeper during a corner. The opening goal arrived in the 36th minute when Mikel Oyarzabal finished off a well-worked move after being set up by Cucurella. Luis de la Fuente's side nearly doubled their advantage before halftime as Alex Baena struck the crossbar from a free kick, while Lamine Yamal hit the post moments later, leaving Spain with just a one-goal cushion despite their dominance.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Spain controlling possession and limiting Austria's attacking opportunities. Their pressure finally paid off in the 66th minute when Baena delivered an excellent cross from the left and Pedro Porro scored a header for his first international goal to make it 2-0. Austria tried with more attacking players in search of a way back into the game, but Spain remained defensively solid, scoring another one with Oyarzabal in the last minutes of the second half. The win sends Spain into the Round of 16, where they will face the winner of Portugal vs. Croatia.
