Spain vs Austria: World Cup Round of 32 – Preview, predictions, team news
Spain take on Austria in Los Angeles, with the winner facing either Portugal or Croatia in the last 16. Five wins to go. How can
Spain take on Austria in Los Angeles, with the winner facing either Portugal or Croatia in the last 16. Five wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win World Cup 2026? Click here to find out. Who: Spain vs Austria What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – round of 32 Where: Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US When: Thursday, July 2, at noon (19:00 GMT) How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream. After arriving at the World Cup as one of the favourites, Spain have made a relatively low-key start to the tournament. A shock 0-0 draw with Cape Verde was followed by a 4-0 rout of Saudi Arabia before an attritional victory over Uruguay. But Spain coach Luis de la Fuente maintains his team are on an upward curve and are exactly where they want to be, as they reach the business end of the tournament. “This squad is used to breaking records and overcoming rough patches; we are determined to keep moving forward,” de la Fuente said on Wednesday. Ralf Rangnick’s Austria are making their first World Cup knockout appearance since 1954 after finishing runners-up in Group J. Austria scored six goals in three group-stage matches, one more than Spain, but Rangnick acknowledges his side will need to raise their level against a team unbeaten in 34 matches stretching back to March 2023.
“We all know that we need to do even better tomorrow. Against Spain this is obvious,” Rangnick said. “We have to make one further step.” The victor will face either Portugal or Croatia in the last 16. La Roja ready to raise the bar against Austria De la Fuente told reporters to expect to see improvements in his team’s performance after their sluggish World Cup start. “What I am seeing this week is that the team is beginning to recognise” things to fix, the coach said. De la Fuente dismissed concerns about the enormous expectations weighing on his squad from Spanish supporters, despite the team’s early World Cup exits following their 2010 triumph. “I love that it is demanded of us, because a lot is expected of us and what we have to do is respond to that expectation,” de la Fuente said. Rangnick says stopping Lamine Yamal key Rangnick said football fans around the world love watching Lamine Yamal play, but stopping the Spain winger from showcasing his talent will be one of his side’s top priorities in the World Cup round of 32 on Thursday. Spain have eased the 18-year-old back into action after he tore a hamstring in April, limiting him to 141 minutes over the three group games, during which he scored once – but now say he is ready to play as much as required.
The BriefWire