Spain beat Austria 3-0 to comfortably qualify for the last 16 of the World Cup.

In a critical match played in Inglewood, USA, Spain took their impressive World Cup performance a step further, eliminating Austria with a decisive 3-0 scoreline. With Mikel Oyarzabal scoring two goals and the team's defensive line delivering a superior performance, Spain solidified its status among the tournament's favorites and advanced to the last 16 round by preserving its undefeated title. After making a slow start to the tournament with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, Spain displayed unstoppable attacking force and an impenetrable defense in sunny California against Austria, warning their rivals.

Spain, continuing its success of not conceding a goal since the start of the tournament, once again proved that its real strength stems from its defensive formation, despite the high acclaim for young star Lamine Yamal's performances on the attacking front. In this match played on Thursday, the Spanish defense did not allow rival Austria to take a single shot on target throughout the match, a feat recorded as the most dominant defensive performance in a World Cup elimination stage since the final Germany played against Argentina in 2014. Oyarzabal, one of the stars of the match, stated that it did not matter who their opponents would be in the next round—Portugal or Croatia—and that they were prepared for any scenario, keeping morale high.

Spain, which held the pressure on the field from the start of the game, sought an early goal with young forward Lamine constantly disturbing the Austrian defense. Initially, a shot by Marc Cucurella from close range resulted in a goal, but it was disallowed by the referee for offside or a foul, leaving Spain shocked by the decision. However, as a result of constant pressure, Oyarzabal, who moved well into Cucurella's cross, found the net, igniting the Spanish fans in the stadium and becoming the player who put his team ahead. In the first half, Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager tried to preserve the score with two consecutive critical saves following a free kick, preventing his team from going into the break 1-0 down.

In the second half, although Austria increased their attacks to equalize, they could not be productive against Spain's disciplined defensive strategy. Sasa Kalajdzic had a chance to equalize by heading a fine cross, but the ball went wide, and an important opportunity was missed for his team. Austria, who won the chance to stay in the tournament at the last minute with a goal in the final minutes of their last match against Algeria, struggled greatly to produce a clear position against Spain's calmness in possession and tight order at the back. Spain passed this round undefeated, increasing their defensive confidence and never letting go of the match's control.

In the 66th minute of the match, Pedro Porro contributed to the enthusiasm of the stands, where famous Spanish players Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem were watching, by scoring with a header and putting his team 2-0 ahead. Oyarzabal, taking advantage of the disintegration of the Austrian defense in the final minutes, scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the 89th minute, making the score 3-0 and sealing his team's victory. Meanwhile, 18-year-old talent Lamine Yamal took the field, recovering from the effects of a previous groin injury and regaining his old rhythm. Before the next round match to be played in Dallas, Lamine stated that they had no luxury to make mistakes and that they would do their best to win the World Cup, which he has dreamed of since childhood, and were focused on realizing the dream of bringing Spain to victory.