Spain advanced to the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Austria on Thursday in Los Angeles, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and Pedro Porro adding a header in a thoroughly one-sided contest. The European champions controlled the match from start to finish, with Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente declaring afterwards that his side had "touched perfection."

Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 36th minute, calmly side-footing home a Marc Cucurella cross after persistent pressure from the Spanish side. Porro doubled the lead in the 66th minute, nodding in his first international goal from an Álex Baena cross. Oyarzabal then sealed the result in the 89th minute, slotting home a pinpoint Cucurella delivery to record his fourth goal of the tournament. Spain could have won by a wider margin: a Cucurella finish was disallowed for goalkeeper interference, a Baena free kick struck the crossbar, and several further chances went begging. Goalkeeper Unai Simón also set a World Cup record, surpassing Italy's Walter Zenga to reach 519 consecutive minutes without conceding at the tournament.

The match at Los Angeles Stadium — the first appearance by a genuine World Cup contender in the United States' second-largest city — drew a star-studded crowd including actors Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem and singer Rosalía. Particularly eye-catching was the performance of 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, who tormented the Austrian defence throughout, creating danger repeatedly from the right flank before being substituted late in the game as a precaution. The fact that Yamal and fellow teenager Pau Cubarsí, 19, both started marked the first time two teenage players featured in a Spanish knockout match in 68 years — the last comparable occasion being Brazil's Pelé and Altafini at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.

Austria, who showed brief moments of threat through inswinging crosses, were largely outclassed. Substitutes Sasa Kalajdzic and Marko Arnautovic provided some physical presence after the break but made little impact. A rare opening fell to Stefan Posch late in the first half, but a poor first touch cost him any chance of a shot.

Spain now faces Portugal or Croatia in a round-of-16 tie on Monday in Dallas, Texas. Oyarzabal was measured about the prospect: "It doesn't matter who we face in the next round — I have friends in both teams." The victory extends Spain's impressive form at this World Cup, though their coach and players acknowledged that sterner tests lie ahead.