This all-European clash in the FIFA World Cup round of 32 in Los Angeles sees regular visitors to the knockouts Spain taking on Austria, who haven’t made it this far in over 70 years.
Spain remain one of the favourites to win the World Cup after progressing through the group stage without conceding for the first time, topping Group H by beating Uruguay 1-0 on matchday three.
That result stretched their unbeaten run to 13 matches, and with each of those games seeing the half-time outcome replicated at full-time, once La Roja get a stranglehold on a match, they seldom relinquish it.
That bodes well coming into this, although the reigning European champions have lost their last two World Cup knockout fixtures since winning the final in 2010, and they’ve never previously suffered three consecutive knockout defeats at the World Cup.
Austria secured second place in Group J after a thrilling, albeit controversial, 3-3 draw with Algeria in their final group game, a contest in which they both scored and conceded in second-half stoppage time.
That draw stretched their run of World Cup fixtures without a clean sheet to 12 dating back to 1982, which is a concern as they attempt to keep the Spanish attack at bay in what is also unfamiliar territory for those involved with Das Team. Although they’ve played five previous World Cup knockout games, all of them against European opponents (W3, L2), this will be their first since 1954!
Spain are unbeaten across the last five head to heads although Austria won their only previous World Cup meeting 2-1 in 1978.
Spain, Austria battle for last 16 ticket in Los Angeles
41
previous post