Spain confirmed in Los Angeles that the spectre of early elimination is now a thing of the past. Luis de la Fuente’s side produced their best football against an Austria side that came into the match intent on holding out, only to leave with a 3-0 defeat that could have been even heavier had it not been for goalkeeper Schlager’s performance, which prevented the scoreline from becoming even more lopsided.
A view of the stadium in Los Angeles showing the final score of the match – REUTERS/ DANIEL COLE
From the outset, La Roja made it clear who was in charge. Lamine Yamal was the first to get a shot away, staking his claim before the clock had even reached sixty seconds. Their dominance was constant, but Austria clung to their goalkeeper and Rangnick’s tactical discipline to hold out for the first half-hour without conceding. There was even a controversial moment when Cucurella put the ball in the net following a corner, but the referee disallowed the goal for an alleged foul on the goalkeeper.
Spain grew frustrated. And that was when Mikel Oyarzabal stepped up – the man La Roja always turn to when they need a goal. Pedri found Cucurella on the left flank, who crossed the ball to the penalty spot for the San Sebastián-born player to head it into the net.
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzábal scores Spain’s third goal – IMAGN IMAGES via REUTERS/ KIRBY LEE
In the second half, the script remained unchanged. Spain continued to create chances, whilst Austria tried unsuccessfully to send their two towering strikers, Arnautovic and Kalajdzic, into the box in search of an equaliser from set pieces. Spain’s style of play paid off once again, and a brilliant team move was finished off by Pedro Porro, who opened his scoring account in the tournament with a header following a pinpoint cross from Álex Baena. The 2–0 scoreline sealed the match and freed up the team, who found their third goal through another strike from Oyarzabal, assisted once more by Cucurella. It was a brace and his second goal of the tournament for the Real Sociedad striker, who has already established himself as the team’s key attacking threat.
Luis de la Fuente used the final minutes to give Gavi some playing time and hand Marc Pubill his World Cup debut. With the score at 3–0, Spain turned their attention to the other group match to find out who their opponent would be in the round of 16.
Mikel Merino and manager Luis De La Fuente celebrate Spain’s qualification for the World Cup round of 16 – REUTERS/ LISI NIESHER
Portugal scrape through to the round of 16
It was another night of football in Atlanta, with Portugal and Croatia battling it out for a place in the next round. The match had it all: goals, shots against the woodwork, goals disallowed by VAR, and two legends – Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić – who knew this could be their final World Cup match. It was also the first time in the tournament’s history that two players over the age of 40 had taken to the pitch together.
Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo embrace after the Portugal v Croatia match, in which Portugal qualified for the World Cup round of 16 – REUTERS/JEENAH MOON
Croatia struck first. Ivan Perišić capitalised on a mistake in Portugal’s build-up play to shoot from inside the box and put the Balkan side ahead early in the second half. The match became an uphill struggle for the Seleção, with chances for both teams and two goals ruled out for offside, keeping the score level during the first half.
Portugal’s response came in the 66th minute from the penalty spot. A foul by Vlasic on Veiga was awarded as a penalty, and Cristiano Ronaldo did what he always does: he huffed and puffed, took a run-up and sent the ball to the opposite side to where Livakovic had dived. Goal.
Portugal’s Gonçalo Ramos celebrates Portugal’s second goal against Croatia – REUTERS/ MIKE SEGAR
And just as the match seemed to be heading for extra time, Gonçalo Ramos stepped up to settle it. A precise cross from Raphael Leão found the striker’s head in the six-yard box.
Croatia still had time for a dramatic finish. Josko Gvardiol scored in the 90+13th minute and the players rushed to celebrate what looked like a lifesaving equaliser. But VAR intervened and confirmed that Igor Matanović had touched the ball during the cross into the box, putting a teammate in an offside position. The goal was disallowed and with it, Croatia’s last hopes were dashed. Modrić, with tears in his eyes, thus bid farewell to the World Cup for the final time. Cristiano had a few words for him at the end: “Luka remains a football legend. I just told him congratulations on everything he’s achieved.”
Portuguese players celebrating their qualification – REUTERS/ DYLAN MARTINEZ
Portugal have progressed to the last 16 and on Monday, in Dallas, they will face Spain in an Iberian derby on the road to the quarter-finals.