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Oyarzabal stuns Austria
Spain advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Austria 3-0 at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (Los Angeles), with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring a brace in the 36th and 89th minutes.
“World Cup 2026 World Cup 2026 The captain of Real Sociedad arrives at his first World Cup after an exemplary career, marked by loyalty to a single club, university studies, and decisive goals”
The match was led by Luis de la Fuente and featured a 4-2-3-1 setup, with Unai Simón keeping a clean sheet as Austria finished without a single shot on target.
Oyarzabal’s first goal came after Marc Cucurella delivered a precise cross, and the Real Sociedad forward “calmly finished with his left foot for 1-0.”
In the second half, Spain increased intensity as Pedro Porro headed in the 2-0 in the 66th minute, and Oyarzabal completed the brace after another Cucurella assist left him unmarked for the 3-0.
Voices praise the “invisible man”
As Spain’s 3-0 win over Austria moved them into the knockout stage, BBC Radio 5 Live quoted Spanish football expert Guillem Balague saying, “Mikel Oyarzabal is the invisible man, he has scored in every final he has ever played.”
BBC also highlighted that Oyarzabal missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, before returning to score twice against Austria to secure a first knockout win in 16 years.
Former Spain defender Cesar Azpilicueta told BBC One that “Oyarzabal is doing the job,” while Diario de Morelos described him as “Man of the match with a brace.”
The BBC framing also placed Oyarzabal alongside Lamine Yamal, noting that the 18-year-old’s attention helped create space, with Thomas Hitzlsperger saying, “Oyarzabal uses that space, gets the ball, and scores goals.”
Next opponent and tournament stakes
With qualification secured, Spain’s next match is set for the Round of 16 against a winner from Portugal vs. Croatia, scheduled for Monday, July 6, 21:00 local time at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
“Before every Spain game at this World Cup, one name has dominated the back of the shirts worn by fans - Lamine Yamal”
Diario de Morelos said Spain arrived in the knockout stage as Group H leaders after a 0-0 draw with Cabo Verde, a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, and a tight victory over Uruguay, aiming to end the World Cup title drought since South Africa 2010.
In the build-up to Spain’s tournament run, BBC noted that Oyarzabal had “Four goals in the World Cup - our most decisive player, no doubt,” adding that his last two seasons since recovering were “the best of his career.”
The same BBC coverage also stressed that Spain’s unbeaten run reached 34 games after victory against Austria, and that they would equal their record run of 35 if they reached the quarter-finals.
