One of the tournament favourites avoided the same upset fate as its fellow European giants and banished a 16-year hoodoo dating back to their last World Cup triumph with a powerful Round of 32 statement.
Later, a showdown of superstars will take centre stage in Friday’s FIFA World Cup action.
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Friday July 3’s World Cup schedule
Match 84 – Spain 3-0 Austria, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Match 83 – Portugal vs Croatia – 9am, BMO Field, Toronto
Match 85 – Switzerland vs Algeria – 1pm, BC Place, Vancouver
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RONALDO RETIREMENT REPORT
Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister claims he will retire from international football at the end of the World Cup.
Katia Aveiro told reporters that this tournament will be Ronaldo’s ‘last dance’ ahead of Portugal’s last 32 clash with Croatia.
She told Sport TV: “Enjoy it while it lasts. It’s ending soon.
“The info I have, from a reliable source… this is his last dance.
“I believe it’s not today that they’ll say goodbye, but it’s coming soon. I strongly believe this is the farewell.
“So enjoy it a lot because it will be difficult to find someone after 200 goals. I’m talking about the Portuguese national team.”
SPAIN SNAP WORLD CUP CURSE
Spain coasted past Austria and into the World Cup last-16 on Thursday, thoroughly outclassing their opponents in a 3-0 knockout win with a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header.
The European champions controlled possession and sliced through the Austrian defense in a typically dominant performance in Los Angeles, as Hollywood stars Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem and singer Rosalia cheered on.
The win — which could have been by a greater margin, with a disallowed goal and a free kick off the woodwork — sets up a tantalizing round-of-16 clash with either Portugal or Croatia.
The SoFi Stadium was a sea of red and excitement was sky-high over the first visit by a bona fide World Cup favorite to America’s second city.
Spain ratcheted up the pressure gradually through the first half, creating a string of chances after the first hydration break.
Marc Cucurella thought he had scored from a Lamine Yamal corner, but Pau Cubarsi was judged to have encroached on Austria’s goalkeeper.
Alexander Schlager then made a superb diving save, pushing Oyarzabal’s low shot around the post.
Austria’s defense 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.
Spain’s dominance grew further, with Yamal tormenting the Austrians, mainly from the right flank.
An Alex Baena free kick hit the crossbar, and Yamal’s close-range follow-up shot was well saved.
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.
After the break Spain continued knocking on the door without quite putting the game to rest.
Austria sent on two giant strikers — Sasa Kalajdzic and Marko Arnautovic — and immediately went long, with Kalajdzic putting a header over the bar.
But in the 66th minute, Spain struck again. Baena lifted a cross onto the head of Pedro Porro, who nodded in his first goal for Spain.
Some dogged defending kept the scoreline respectable, including a goalline clearance by David Alaba from Yamal, who was substituted off to rest moments later.
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.
In the 89th minute, a pinpoint Cucurella cross found a completely unmarked Oyarzabal in the penalty area, who slotted the ball home.