Mikel Oyarzabal at the double as Spain beat Austria and cruise into last 16
Quick summary
Spain defeated Austria in the World Cup 2026 last-32 round, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring both goals to send Spain through to the round of 16.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceThe group stage is something you have to do but the World Cup starts here, Lamine Yamal had insisted, and down on the Pacific that was how it played out. It wasn’t that Spain defeated Austria to reach the last 16 where they will face Portugal or Croatia, their first victory at the knockout stage since they were champions back in 2010; it was that on an enjoyable sunny afternoon they were Spain again. Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and another from Pedro Porro completed a 3-0 win that was as recognisably theirs as their coach had requested.
For the fourth consecutive game Spain kept a clean sheet, Unai Simón breaking Iker Casillas’s record and Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte confirming their status as the centre-back pair of the tournament so far, but what really stood out was what was happening everywhere else. A little flat until now, that opening quarter against Saudi Arabia apart, here they flew and the ball did too. Intense, incisive, and ultimately entirely dominant. A lot of fun too, right from the start. And if Austria played their part then, by the time Oyarzabal added the third, this belonged only to Spain. What had looked like being a game had ended up belonging only to them.
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What happened
Spain comfortably advanced past Austria in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, winning the last-32 tie thanks to a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal. The victory extends Spain's progression in the tournament and sets up a round-of-16 clash. Austria, meanwhile, are eliminated from the competition. The performance reinforces Spain's status as a contender heading into the deeper stages of the tournament.
Chance analysis
Oyarzabal continuing to deliver in a Spain shirt underscores his importance as a clutch tournament performer, following his Euro 2020 final heroics. A comfortable last-32 win suggests Spain are hitting form at the right time, with squad depth and tactical clarity ahead of tougher opposition. For Austria, an early exit will prompt scrutiny of their tournament preparation, though their group-stage showing had already been mixed.
Spain advance confidently to the last 16 with Oyarzabal in sharp form, while Austria are eliminated from the World Cup.
Spain's convincing knockout win and Oyarzabal's scoring form boost their round-of-16 prospects; Austria are eliminated and irrelevant for further match prediction.