Spain vs Austria Prediction & Tips
Spain arrive at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles with the kind of record that makes a Round of 32 tie look like a formality on paper: Group H winners, seven points, five goals scored, and not a single one conceded. The European champions ground out a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde to open the tournament, then found their rhythm with a 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia before closing the group with a tighter 1-0 win over Uruguay, Álex Baena’s 42nd-minute strike enough to settle it. Lamine Yamal has been the standout name so far, with Mikel Oyarzabal leading the scoring on two goals.
Austria’s route here was far noisier. Ralf Rangnick’s side beat Jordan 3-1, lost 0-2 to Argentina, and then survived a chaotic 3-3 draw with Algeria that decided who went through and who went home — Marko Arnautović and Marcel Sabitzer scored before Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez looked to have won it in stoppage time, only for Sasa Kalajdžić to equalize in the 96th minute. It’s Austria’s first knockout-stage appearance at a World Cup since 1998, after missing five straight tournaments.
OVER 2.5 GOALS @ 1.85
