Oyarzabal goal for Spain: first half 1-0

The first 45 minutes of the Spain-Austria match in the World Cup Round of 32 are behind us. Spain finished the first half of the contest — played in knockout format with the loser exiting the tournament — 1-0 ahead. In the match played at SoFi Stadium, the only goal was scored by Mikel Oyarzabal.

Spain were the side on top in the first half. Taking control of possession to a large extent, the side found the goal they were looking for in the 36th minute. Meeting the ball from a chance set up by Marc Cucurella, Mikel Oyarzabal found the net to put his team 1-0 ahead. Notably ahead of their opponents in chance creation and expected goals, Spain managed to close the half in front.

Austria, meanwhile, struggled against Spain's pressure in the first half. Their opponents directing the game with high possession made it difficult for Austria to be effective in attack. Looking at the match statistics, Spain's clear superiority stood out in categories such as possession, shots and expected goals. Austria went into the break behind.

After the first half, all eyes turned to the second 45 minutes. Whether Spain, who are ahead, can protect their advantage, and what moves Austria will make to change the score, is a point of curiosity. The game both teams produce in the second half, for the last-16 ticket, will decide the fate of the match. The result of this crucial match in the knockout round will directly affect both nations' futures at the World Cup.

Image: Times Union

First-half numbers: Possession 64%-36% (in Spain's favor), expected goals (xG) 1.34-0.09 (in Spain's favor), total shots 11-2, big chances 1-0, touches in the opposition box 24-6.