A Mikel Oyarzabal double and another commanding defensive display helped Spain reach the World Cup's round of 16 on Thursday, putting their rivals on notice with a dominant 3-0 win over Austria.
Spain, who arrived at the tournament among the favorites and have yet to concede a goal, made a slow start with a draw against Cape Verde, but Austria had no answer to their opponents' relentless attack and impenetrable back line on a sunny day in Southern California.
While Spain's attack, especially teenage forward Lamine Yamal, gets most of the attention, their defense continues to excel. They did not allow a shot on target on Thursday, the first team to achieve that feat in a World Cup knockout match since Germany in the 2014 final against Argentina.
Spain will face Portugal or Croatia for a place in the quarterfinals. "I don't know who I'd prefer to play, I haven't planned for each team," Oyarzabal said. "Bring them on."
Relentless pressure
