Spain advances to last 16 after dominant performance against Austria

By Sanjay Menon — 3 July 2026 — 3 min read

Spain secures knockout stage victory

Spain defeated Austria in a knockout stage match, securing their place in the last 16. The victory, which saw Spain score three goals to Austria’s none, marked their first win in the knockout stage since their championship run. Coach Luis de la Fuente described the performance as “Almost perfect.”

The match was characterised by Spain’s control, with 64% possession and 10 shots on target out of 23 overall attempts. Mikel Oyarzabal contributed two goals, while Pedro Porro added another. This dominant display followed a series of strong defensive performances, as Spain maintained a clean sheet for the fourth consecutive game.

Unai Simón surpassed a previous record for clean sheets, and the central defensive pairing of Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte continued to impress. Full-backs Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro were also noted for their energetic play, contributing to Spain’s attacking efforts.

Key moments and goals

The game began with an early statement from Lamine Yamal, whose shot after 59 seconds hinted at Spain’s attacking intent. Despite Austria’s attempts to press high, Spain capitalised on the space, moving the ball quickly and creating numerous opportunities. An early chance for Dani Olmo was blocked, and Laporte headed over.

Austria also had an opportunity when Konrad Laimer advanced, leading to a cross from Marcel Sabitzer that narrowly missed Michael Gregoritsch. However, Spain continued to press, and a goal from Cucurella was disallowed due to Cubarsí’s proximity to the goalkeeper, a decision that was described as baffling.

Alexander Schlager, Austria’s goalkeeper, made several saves, including pushing away a powerful shot from Lamine Yamal and a low effort from Oyarzabal. However, Spain eventually broke through in the 36th minute when Pedri found Cucurella, whose low delivery was converted by Oyarzabal with a first-time finish.

Austria’s coach, Ralf Rangnick, acknowledged the challenge, stating, “We were in it until the 2-0, but our opponents are special and it’s hard over 90 minutes.”

Second-half dominance and further goals

After the interval, Spain maintained their pressure. Austria introduced two strikers, Sasa Kalajdzic and Marko Arnautovic, with Kalajdzic heading over the bar shortly after coming on. Spain extended their lead in the 66th minute when Álex Baena delivered a cross that Pedro Porro headed in for his first goal for Spain.

Austria’s defensive efforts included a goal-line clearance by David Alaba from a shot by Lamine Yamal. Yamal was later substituted. Spain continued to control the game, passing the ball around and drawing appreciative responses from the crowd.

In the 89th minute, Oyarzabal scored his second goal of the match, slotting home a precise cross from Cucurella in the penalty area. This goal sealed the victory and showcased Spain’s fluid attacking play, which began with Unai Simón and concluded with Oyarzabal’s finish.

The win sets up a last-16 clash for Spain against either Portugal or Croatia. Oyarzabal expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I’m happy to help the team and get through to the next round. Now we need to rest.” He added that he has friends on both potential opposing teams.

Source: theguardian.com