Spain thrashed Austria to reach the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup
The Spanish national team beat Austria in their Round of 32 match at the 2026 World Cup. The match at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, ended in a 3–0 victory for Spain.
In the 29th minute, Spain had a chance to open the scoring, but Marc Cucurella’s goal was disallowed due to a foul on the Austrian goalkeeper during a corner kick.
In the 36th minute, Luis de la Fuente’s side finally took the lead. Mikel Oyarzabal slotted the ball into the far corner with a first-time finish following a cross from Cucurella on the left flank.
For Oyarzabal, this was his third goal at this World Cup and his 28th for the national team.
Towards the end of the first half, Spain came close to scoring a second goal. Following a free-kick from Alex Baena, the Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager tipped the ball onto the crossbar and subsequently saved a follow-up shot from Lamine Yamal.
In the second half, the Spaniards extended their lead. In the 66th minute, Pedro Porro headed home Baena’s cross from the left flank.
For Porro, this was his first goal for the Spanish national team. The defender was making his 20th appearance for the national side.
In the 89th minute, Spain sealed a comprehensive victory. Oyarzabal scored his second goal of the match, firing a precise shot into the far corner following a pass from Cucurella.
As a result, the Spanish national team have progressed to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. In the next round, they will face the winner of the Portugal v Croatia match.
In the group stage, Spain finished top of Group H. The team drew with Cape Verde, thrashed Saudi Arabia and beat Uruguay.
Austria finished second in Group J. The Austrians beat Jordan, lost to Argentina and drew with Algeria.
The 2026 World Cup will take place from 11 June to 19 July in the USA, Mexico and Canada. This is the first World Cup to feature 48 national teams.
