Dorminant Spain saw off Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 on Thursday night, booking their place in the last 16 and a blockbuster meeting with Portugal.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the first half after sustaining pressure on the Austrian defence.
The lead was doubled shortly after the break when Pedro Porro, rose highest at the back post to head home from a pinpoint delivery.
Oyarzabal completed his brace for Spain’s third in the closing stages, turning a comfortable win into a statement performance.
The victory marked Spain’s first World Cup knockout-round win since 2010, a stat that will only add to the growing belief around this squad.
Attention now turns to Monday’s last-16 tie in Dallas, where Spain will face a Portugal side inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos.
The two Iberian neighbours have a storied recent rivalry, headlined by last year’s tense Nations League final, and their latest meeting promises to be one of the standout ties of the knockout stage.
