Spain won a World Cup knockout match for the first time since the 2010 final, dismantling Austria 3-0 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to advance to the round of 16. The result ended a sequence of three consecutive tournaments without a victory beyond the group stage — a group-stage exit in 2014 and last-16 defeats on penalties to Russia in 2018 and Morocco in 2022. Spanish media described the performance as the moment the European champions finally ignited their campaign, while Austrian observers conceded their side had been outclassed by a team operating at a different level.

Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 36th minute, sweeping in a low cross from Marc Cucurella after an earlier Cucurella goal had been disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper. Pedro Porro doubled the lead midway through the second half, rising to head home Álex Baena’s delivery. Oyarzabal completed his brace in the 89th minute, again from a Cucurella assist, to take his tournament tally to four goals. Austria failed to register a single shot on target — the first time a team has done so in a World Cup knockout fixture since the 2014 final — and only a goal-line clearance by David Alaba denied Lamine Yamal a goal of his own.

Yamal, playing his longest stint of the tournament at 85 minutes, was named player of the match after recording six shots, four on target, and five ball recoveries. The 18-year-old winger, who entered the finals carrying a fitness concern, declared himself “100 per cent” and told reporters that “the real World Cup starts now.” Across Europe, his resurgence was read as a warning to Portugal, Spain’s next opponents. Coach Luis de la Fuente, while satisfied, insisted his side “has not reached its maximum” and still has room to improve, a view echoed by Austrian manager Ralf Rangnick, who predicted Spain could go on to win the title.

Spain will face Portugal in Dallas on Monday, a rematch of the 2023 Nations League final that Portugal won on penalties and of a 3-3 group-stage draw in Qatar 2022. The Portuguese advanced after a dramatic 2-1 win over Croatia, sealed by a Gonçalo Ramos goal and a VAR ruling that disallowed a late Croatian equaliser for offside. The winner of the Iberian derby will meet either France or Paraguay in the quarter-finals.