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European champions Spain cruised into the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a convincing 3-0 victory over Austria on Thursday, thanks to a brilliant brace from Mikel Oyarzabal.
Spain dominated the Round of 32 encounter at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood and took the lead in the 36th minute when Oyarzabal finished clinically after sustained pressure.
The Spaniards doubled their advantage in the 66th minute as right-back Pedro Porro found the net, leaving Austria with a mountain to climb.
Spain continued to create chances throughout the second half and were denied a third goal only by an outstanding goal-line clearance from Austria captain David Alaba.
Austria attempted to stage a comeback and came close with a late header that drifted narrowly wide, but they struggled to break down Spain’s organised defence.
As Austria committed more players forward in search of a goal, Spain struck on the counterattack in the closing minutes. Oyarzabal completed his brace in the 89th minute to seal an emphatic victory.
Spain will now face the winners of the Round of 32 tie between Portugal and Croatia, scheduled for Friday, with a place in the World Cup quarter-finals at stake.
