The group stage is a necessary hurdle, but as Lamine Yamal noted, the World Cup truly begins here. On a sunny day in the Pacific, Spain not only triumphed over Austria to advance to the last 16 against either Portugal or Croatia, but they also showcased a performance reminiscent of their glory days, marking their first knockout stage win since their 2010 championship. Mikel Oyarzabal netted two goals, while Pedro Porro added another, leading to a decisive 3-0 victory that lived up to their coach’s expectations. It was deemed ‘almost perfect’ by Luis de la Fuente.
Spain achieved a fourth consecutive clean sheet, with Unai Simón surpassing Iker Casillas’s record from the 2010 finals. Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte established themselves as the leading center-back duo of the tournament so far. However, the defining element of this match was the dynamic play occurring on both wings and in front of the defense.
The full-backs, Marc Cucurella and Porro, were particularly impressive. After a somewhat flat start, the entire Spanish side came alive, boasting 64% possession and registering 10 shots on target out of a total of 23. This performance served as a redemption arc following earlier doubts. ‘Big teams show up when it matters,’ De la Fuente emphasized.
Spain displayed intensity, precision, and dominance throughout the match. Their third goal, which sealed the victory at the 89-minute mark, echoed the style of their earlier scores. Austria’s head coach, Ralf Rangnick, remarked, ‘We were competitive until the 2-0, but facing such opponents is challenging over 90 minutes.’
From the opening moments, the match was filled with excitement, highlighted by a face-off between Konrad Laimer and Lamine Yamal. The Austrian side made an early push, but the teenager responded with a swift counter-attack, nearly scoring within the first minute. De la Fuente had anticipated Austria’s high press, a tactic that ultimately favored his squad. Spain thrived on the available space, accelerating their play and stretching the pitch. The exchanges between Yamal and Laimer led to several scoring chances, predominantly for Spain. Dani Olmo’s volley was inadvertently blocked by Oyarzabal, while Laporte narrowly missed with a header. Austria did pose a threat as well, with Laimer’s forward-thinking play nearly resulting in a goal from Marcel Sabitzer’s beautifully curled cross.
After a commercial break, which was met with boos, Spain intensified their efforts. Lamine Yamal’s burst into the penalty area forced Stefan Posch to make critical defensive maneuvers. Following a corner, Cucurella nearly scored after Alex Schlager failed to clear, but the referee disallowed the goal due to Cubarsí’s proximity to the goalkeeper. Despite this setback, Spain continued to press forward. A remarkable run by Yamal ended with Schlager parrying away a shot, and Oyarzabal was denied by another excellent save.
Spain resumed the second half with renewed vigor, while Austria’s strategy shifted to merely surviving the storm. Yet, they almost leveled the score when a stunning pass from Sabitzer reached Sasa Kalajdzic, who, having recently entered the pitch, could not convert a header from close range.
Quickly recovering, Spain launched another attack after Olmo’s shot was blocked, retrieving the ball to set up Álex Baena. The subsequent delivery found Porro, who powered in a header to extend the lead. The contest was effectively over, but Oyarzabal capped off a beautifully orchestrated move that originated with Simón and concluded with him scoring, epitomizing the style Spain had sought from the outset. This match marked the true beginning of their World Cup journey.
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