Oyarzabal's Double Sends Spain Into the World Cup Last 16
The early-tournament anxiety around Spain’s World Cup campaign has faded under the Southern California sun. On a blazing Thursday afternoon, Luis de la Fuente’s men booked their place in the round of 16 with a 3-0 win over Austria, led by Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal. Spain entered the tournament as favourites, a tag that looked shaky after a goalless opening against Cape Verde. Against Austria, however, the 2010 world champions played with the fluidity that defines their best sides. From the opening whistle, La Roja’s press kept Austria deep in their own half, led by the 18-year-old Lamine Yamal. Fully over a hamstring niggle that limited him earlier in the month, the teenage prodigy tormented the Austrian left side and showed he is ready for the knockout stages. Spain’s early dominance nearly materialised in the opening quarter of an hour when Marc Cucurella bundled the ball home from close range. The celebrations were cut short, however, as the referee spotted a foul on Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager in the buildup. The reprieve was only temporary. Spain’s relentless tempo finally broke Austrian resistance in the 34th minute. Cucurella, turning provider, delivered a well-placed cross into the penalty area. Oyarzabal timed his run perfectly, guiding a delicate header into the bottom corner beyond Schlager’s reach to send the heavily pro-Spanish crowd into raptures. Schlager kept the scoreline respectable before the interval. The Austrian goalkeeper produced a stunning double save, first parrying a fierce free-kick and then diving into the ensuing scramble to limit the damage to one goal at halftime.  Austria, which had scraped into the knockout phase with a dramatic late equaliser against Algeria, showed brief moments of ambition in the second half. Their best chance to change the game fell to Sasa Kalajdzic, who rose highest to meet a swinging cross, only to see his looping header hit the roof of the net. That miss proved fatal. Spain’s defensive spine—yet to concede in this tournament—remained untroubled, recycling possession with calm, clinical discipline. The match was effectively settled in the 66th minute. Pedro Porro drifted into the box, rising unchallenged to head into the centre of the net, much to the delight of a star-studded, sold-out crowd that included Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. With Austrian legs tiring and frustration rising, a late defensive lapse in the 89th minute let Oyarzabal strike again. The forward finished his second of the afternoon and fourth of the tournament, adding the final touch to a performance that signals Spain’s return to peak tournament form. A formidable knockout tie awaits in the next round, with Spain facing either Portugal or Croatia. On this evidence, however, it is Europe's established elite who will be sweating over the draw.
