Oyarzabal double steers Spain past Austria as familiar fire returns

For a side that arrived in Australia carrying the weight of a dozen years of knockout stage disappointment, there was something almost therapeutic about Spain's display on the Pacific coast. Lamine Yamal had spoken of the group stage as mere formalities, a procedural hurdle before the real business begins. Against Austria, his words felt less like youthful bravado and more like prophecy.Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice and Pedro Porro added a third as La Roja strolled into the last 16 with a 3. 0 victory that, for the first time in this tournament, genuinely looked like their own. Luis de la Fuente had asked for a performance that recognised who they are. On a warm, sunlit afternoon, his players delivered just that. The ball moved with purpose. The press was sharp. There was incision in the final third and, crucially, joy in the approach play. This was not the sterile, sideways possession that has so often defined Spain in recent years. This was something far more dangerous.Defensively, the numbers speak for themselves. Four consecutive clean sheets. Unai Simón now stands alone above Iker Casillas in the record books. Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte looked every inch the tournament's most assured centre back pairing, their understanding so natural it borders on telepathic. But while the backline continues to offer the solidity that underpins any serious title challenge, it was in the middle and forward areas that Spain truly caught fire. The first quarter against Saudi Arabia had hinted at what might be possible. Here, they sustained it. They tormented Austria from the first whistle, never allowing the game to settle into the scrappy, transitional mess that so often trips up possession based sides.Austria deserve some credit for their part in an open, entertaining affair. But by the time Oyarzabal swept home the third goal, the contest had long since ceased to be competitive. This was a complete performance. A statement. And with Portugal or Croatia awaiting in the next round, Spain will need to carry this momentum into what promises to be their sternest test yet. For the first time since that triumphant summer in Johannesburg, there is a genuine sense that this team might just be ready to go all the way again.