---
title: "Oyarzabal double sends Spain past Austria into the World Cup last 16"
description: "Spain eased into the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win over Austria in California, Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and Pedro Porro heading in the other. The result kept one of the tournament favorites unbeaten and set up a last-16 tie against the winner of Portugal and Croatia."
category: "Sports"
category_url: https://newsparlor.com/category/sports
author: "James Whitmore"
published: 2026-07-02T21:22:00.000Z
updated: 2026-07-02T21:22:00.000Z
canonical: https://newsparlor.com/article/oyarzabal-double-sends-spain-past-austria-into-the-world-cup-last-16
tags: ["world-cup-2026", "spain", "austria", "oyarzabal", "football", "soccer"]
---
# Oyarzabal double sends Spain past Austria into the World Cup last 16

Spain eased into the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win over Austria in California, Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and Pedro Porro heading in the other. The result kept one of the tournament favorites unbeaten and set up a last-16 tie against the winner of Portugal and Croatia.

Spain moved serenely into the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup on July 2, beating Austria 3-0 at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles to book a place in the last 16. It was a controlled, professional performance from Luis de la Fuente's side, built around two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal, [ESPN reported](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49251007/spain-austria-fifa-world-cup-2026-round-32-mikel-oyarzabal).

## How the game unfolded

Oyarzabal, the Real Sociedad forward, opened the scoring in the first half, finishing off a Spanish move to give his side a lead their possession had merited. Austria, who had reached the last 32 through the group stage, defended in numbers but struggled to trouble Spain at the other end.

The result was effectively settled after the break when Pedro Porro doubled the lead with a header, [as Al Jazeera reported](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/liveblog/2026/7/2/spain-vs-austria-live-fifa-world-cup-2026). Oyarzabal then added his second late on to complete the 3-0 win and his own brace, capping an afternoon in which Spain rarely looked troubled.

## A statement of control

For Spain, the manner of the victory was as notable as the scoreline. Rather than the frantic, end-to-end football that has defined some of this tournament's knockout ties, they dictated the tempo, kept the ball and limited Austria to scraps — the kind of measured display that title contenders tend to produce against lesser-fancied opponents.

The clean sheet will please de la Fuente as much as the goals. Spain arrived at the knockout stage as one of the favorites, and a comfortable win without conceding does nothing to dampen that billing.

## What comes next

Spain will face the winner of the round-of-32 meeting between Portugal and Croatia in the last 16 — a step up in quality whichever side emerges. Both are seasoned tournament teams, and Spain's next test will demand more than the routine efficiency that saw off Austria.

For now, though, La Roja can be satisfied. In a competition that has already produced its share of upsets, they navigated a potential banana-skin with minimal fuss, and did so while resting little and conceding nothing. The tournament's later rounds will ask harder questions; on this evidence, Spain look equipped to answer them.

## Sources

- [Mikel Oyarzabal fires Spain past Austria to World Cup last 16](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49251007/spain-austria-fifa-world-cup-2026-round-32-mikel-oyarzabal)
- [Spain defeat Austria 3-0 at FIFA World Cup 2026](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/liveblog/2026/7/2/spain-vs-austria-live-fifa-world-cup-2026)