Spain Awake: 4 Important Points After Clear Victory Over Austria

This is the Spain we all expected for the tournament. They controlled the game for 90 minutes at Los Angeles Stadium and reminded everyone why they were considered co-favorites before the tournament started. The 3-0 final score does Austria a disservice. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring, Pedro Porro doubled the lead and a late third goal capped it off on an afternoon that felt more like a training exhibition than a knockout match in front of 70,000 spectators. Here are four key takeaways from Spain's march to the last 16:

1. The Sleeping Giant Finally Wakes Up
   Let's be honest about the group stage: Spain was boring. A 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in the opening round caused panic in Madrid. Even the wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay felt more clinical than convincing. However, this was different. This was the Spain everyone feared in the pre-tournament predictions — 65 percent possession, 23 shots, 10 on target and a passing rhythm that turned Austria's midfield into spectators with good seats. Luis de la Fuente's team not only won; they dictated every phase, every change of pace, every restart. When a Marc Cucurella goal is disallowed in the first half and no one in red even looks up, you know that confidence has returned. Champions often grow in tournaments. Spain has just gone through a growth spurt.

1. Enjoy Mikel Oyarzabal's Greatness
   He never played for Real Madrid or Barcelona. Mikel Oyarzabal has spent his entire career at Real Sociedad — more than 400 appearances, more than 130 goals — and American casuals could pass him by in a Whole Foods without a second glance. Their loss. The 29-year-old comes into this tournament with 13 goals in his last 13 caps, including a run of 12 consecutive starts with a goal or assist. Add to that a double against Saudi Arabia and the opener against Austria, and the man who got Spain to the Euro 2024 final is quietly building a case for the Golden Boot. All summer it was about Lamine Yamal — and with Nico Williams out of form and recovering from injury, Spain needed someone else to carry the goal-scoring burden. It turns out that the man from the picturesque Eibar had been doing this for a year.

2. No Shame, But Austria Won't Help Itself
   There is no shame in Austria — for the most part. Ralf Rangnick's team made its first knockout appearance at the World Cup since 1954, and his reward was a duel with one of the tournament's most complete teams. That's not a tactical failure. That's the bad luck of the draw. Still, the frustration boiled over. Cameras caught David Alaba and Florian Grillitsch shouting at each other as the game slipped away — the kind of scene that tells you a team knows it's underpowered and is going home. Austria managed five shots but none on target, although Marcel Sabitzer's crosses deserved better — Sasa Kalajdzic's header in the 61st minute was inches away from what could have been a very different afternoon. It never came. Losing to this Spanish team is noble enough. Do it while you're witharguing with your own teammates is a less flattering image.

3. Spain's Fullbacks Are The Secret Code
   Everyone plans for Yamal. Few people plan for the full-backs, which is exactly how de la Fuente likes it. Cucurella provided the cross for Oyarzabal's opener and thought he had scored himself before the referee intervened. At the other end, Pedro Porro — who started in place of Marcos Llorente — arrived unnoticed at the back post to head home Alex Baena's cross for his first international goal. That's the tactical twist to watch: while Austria concentrated on the wingers, Spain's width came from behind them, with Baena drifting inside to create space. And on the other side? A fourth consecutive clean sheet. Spain has not conceded a single goal in this World Cup. Great teams beat you with their stars. Fearsome teams will beat you with their right back.

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