Oyarzabal at the double as imperious Spain swat aside Austria to seal last-16 spot

[p]Both sides found their way in behind the respective defences inside the first few minutes, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lamine-yamal/lAt3vEub/"]Lamine Yamal[/a] firing off the first tester as the contest began to shape up nicely for the neutrals.[/p][p]Though the threat of an Austrian fast break was never far away, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] began to get a grasp on the contest, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/laporte-aymeric/SYnaB65s/"]Aymeric Laporte[/a] went closest from a succession of early corners.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="29ce7545-b403-4222-8555-d854eaa69950" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="3aee9b3a-22d2-4948-88b3-0c8636576a8f" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]It looked as though they had made the breakthrough shortly after the hydration break, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cucurella-marc/QTynbZd3/"]Marc Cucurella[/a] slamming the ball home from another corner kick, but the on-field referee controversially chalked it out for an apparent foul on goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schlager-alexander/l6a12jEC/"]Alexander Schlager[/a].[/p][p]The pressure intensified further as the half progressed, and Schlager had to be really sharp to tip an effort from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oyarzabal-mikel/dQ1P695O/"]Oyarzabal[/a] past the post, moments after denying Lamine as well.[/p][p][b]But Das Team’s resistance couldn’t survive until the break, and Oyarzabal supplied the finish this time after a nice pick-out from Cucurella.[/b][/p][image alt="Oyarzabal celebrates his opener" id="b756f3cb-6383-492c-876e-59727e6fc0c0" credit-line="IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters / Gary Vasquez" guid="0a385301-7893-4607-8b25-a1f1b3801fec" original-width="3769" original-height="2630" /][p]Only the crossbar prevented [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baena-alex/bmeQTB92/"]Alex Baena[/a] from doubling the lead with a brilliant free-kick on the stroke of half time, with Lamine somehow unable to smuggle in the follow-up after some pinball in the box.[/p][p]The pattern of the game did not change after the restart, as Ralf Rangnick’s side held on by the skin of their teeth under incessant waves of pressure.[/p][p]Yet anything remained possible with the lead at just one goal, and target man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kalajdzic-sasa/8Wq79aVu/"]Sasa Kalajdzic[/a] sent a header just over the Spain bar shortly after being summoned from the bench.[/p][p][b]However, it was a header from a less likely source that effectively settled the issue, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/porro-pedro/nTebDzHC/"]Pedro Porro[/a] popping up in the box to nod home Baena’s cross for his first international goal.[/b][/p][image alt="Porro celebrates his goal" id="aa27430e-e78c-492b-87b0-26e299ff6d66" credit-line="REUTERS / Lisi Niesner" guid="ef889ec0-0f34-434e-b8c4-6e87e1dc1092" original-width="2090" original-height="1422" /][p]That put Spain into cruise control, and Lamine came close to adding a third when he saw an effort blocked off the line by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alaba-david/hKx3nCTp/"]David Alaba[/a].[/p][p][b]In the end, it was Oyarzabal who put the icing on the cake, coolly converting another Cucurella cross in the 89th minute. [/b][/p][p]Spain can now look ahead to a match against the winners of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] vs [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a], and an unbeaten run of 14 matches is an ominous sign for whoever ends up facing them.[/p][image alt="Momentum graph" id="6fb8f1c8-8677-44d0-9fae-e2da68557c42" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="b4883c48-3664-47aa-9641-b2d4206280c9" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]This is the end of the line for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria/naHiWdnt/"]Austria[/a], but a first WC knockout appearance since 1954 should leave Rangnick reasonably satisfied.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oyarzabal-mikel/dQ1P695O/"]Mikel Oyarzabal[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/austria-naHiWdnt/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=jJucpA84"]See all the stats from the match here[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]