Spain cruised past Austria 3-0 in their Last 32 knockout match at the FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles. The Spaniards were in total control with their dominating display as Mikel Oyarzabal notching up a brace while Pedro Porro also breached the Austrian defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The win – which could have been by a greater margin, with a disallowed goal and a free-kick off the woodwork – sets up a tantalising Round of 16 clash with either Portugal or Croatia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Los Angeles Stadium was a sea of red and excitement was sky-high over the first visit by a bona fide World Cup favourite to America’s second city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spain ratcheted up the pressure gradually through the first half, creating a string of chances after the first hydration break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marc Cucurella thought he had scored from a Lamine Yamal corner, but Pau Cubarsi was judged to have encroached on Austria’s goalkeeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alexander Schlager then made a superb diving save, pushing Oyarzabal’s low shot around the post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Austria’s defence finally buckled in the 36th minute. Pedri pinged a ball wide left to Cucurella, whose cross to Oyarzabal was calmly side-footed past the ‘keeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spain’s dominance grew further, with Yamal tormenting the Austrians, mainly from the right flank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Alex Baena free-kick hit the crossbar, and Yamal’s close-range follow-up shot was well saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Austria spurned a rare chance at the other end. Romano Schmid played in a late-arriving and unmarked Stefan Posch, but a terrible first touch meant he lost the ball before even attempting a shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the break Spain continued knocking on the door without quite putting the game to rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Austria sent on two giant strikers – Sasa Kalajdzic and Marko Arnautovic – and immediately went long, with Kalajdzic putting a header over the bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in the 66th minute, Spain struck again. Baena lifted a cross onto the head of Porro, who nodded in his first goal for Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some dogged defending kept the scoreline respectable, including a goalline clearance by David Alaba from Yamal, who was substituted moments later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spain sprayed passes around the pitch as the final minutes ticked down, eliciting “Oles” from the crowd, as attention turned to a sterner test on Monday in Dallas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the 89th minute, a pinpoint Cucurella cross found a completely unmarked Oyarzabal in the penalty area, who slotted the ball home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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